THOUSANDS ATTEND REMEMBRANCE SERVICE IN BUNCRANA
THOUSANDS ATTEND REMEMBRANCE SERVICE IN BUNCRANA
FIVE thousand people gathered in Buncrana on Saturday, to join with hundreds of thousands all over the island of Ireland, to pray and reflect in silence at 3.10p.m. as an Act of Remembrance for the twenty eight people who died in the Omagh massacre.
One by one, thirty candles were lit as Sr. Emmanuel Cullen from the local convent read out the name of each of the people who died in the tragedy. Two candles were lit for the unborn twins of Mrs Avril Monaghan.
Grief for all those who died, especially the Buncrana children, James Barker (12), Shaun McLaughlin (12) and Oran Doherty (8) and the town's Spanish visitors, Fernando Blasco (12) and Rocio Abad (23), was reflected in the tear filled eyes of all ages who gathered together at the Market Square.
Parish Priest Fr. Joseph Carolan, with the Rev. Sam Barton and Fr. Charlie Keaney led prayers for the bereaved and injured and "for the perpetrators of this evil act and their supporters that they may realise what they have done."
Fr. Reaney read a special message from His Holiness, Pope John Paul 11.
"It is very difficult to pray at this time. It would take tears from a stone," Fr. Carolan told the large crowd.
The overwhelming sadness was tangible, as young Maria Doherty sang "Suffer little children to come onto me" and Dinny McLaughlin played the violin.
"We stand in communion today with so many and we pray to God that the events of last week will never be repeated in the history of our land," Rev Barton said. The EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn and his wife Dorothy came from Castlebar to show their solidarity with the local community.
"I wanted to come to Buncrana as this town had a tremendous loss. I felt as European Commissioner I should come here and express my sadness to the town, its community and the whole of Ireland.
"The silence said it all. The people were saying no to violence and recrimination and an end to war. Peace must triumph. This tragedy has touched the hearts of all the people of Ireland and Irish people all over the world. The real hope and expectation is that out of this terrible evil peace will surely come, this is the prayer that the people have expressed in this silence," he said
Author Jennifer Johnston came to show she cared, feeling there was so little she could do to help.
"Everyone wants this to be the last," she said.
Richard Moore, founder of Children in Cross Fire explained how Buncrana had only a month ago, organised to help children in Kenema, Sierra Leone who were suffering the awful effects of war there.
"One month later the local and Spanish children walk through the same thing," he added.
Don Mullan, author of "Bloody Sunday" condemned those who planted the Omagh bomb.
"The war is over, people have chosen a way of dialogue and shared respect for our culture and political identities The way forward is through understanding. I don't want the vision of Ireland that those people have, an Ireland united through the needles of plastic surgeons. People who call themselves republicans are sickened There is a presumption of arrogance among those people to say that Bobby Sands would have taken a different route from Sinn Fein. The memory of Bobby Sands has been terribly dishonoured by these people," he stated.
Mothers and grandmothers spoke to Dr McDaid TD and Cecilia Keaveney TD of their feelings and their hopes for the future.
"I would hope that this is the watershed. It is different from any other," he told them.
As the crowds dispersed, hundreds went to sign the books of condolence opened at Scoil Iosagain and St Mary's Church. Cockhill "Sorry" and "Why" were the most predominant rerecorded.
FIVE thousand people gathered in Buncrana on Saturday, to join with hundreds of thousands all over the island of Ireland, to pray and reflect in silence at 3.10p.m. as an Act of Remembrance for the twenty eight people who died in the Omagh massacre.
One by one, thirty candles were lit as Sr. Emmanuel Cullen from the local convent read out the name of each of the people who died in the tragedy. Two candles were lit for the unborn twins of Mrs Avril Monaghan.
Grief for all those who died, especially the Buncrana children, James Barker (12), Shaun McLaughlin (12) and Oran Doherty (8) and the town's Spanish visitors, Fernando Blasco (12) and Rocio Abad (23), was reflected in the tear filled eyes of all ages who gathered together at the Market Square.
Parish Priest Fr. Joseph Carolan, with the Rev. Sam Barton and Fr. Charlie Keaney led prayers for the bereaved and injured and "for the perpetrators of this evil act and their supporters that they may realise what they have done."
Fr. Reaney read a special message from His Holiness, Pope John Paul 11.
"It is very difficult to pray at this time. It would take tears from a stone," Fr. Carolan told the large crowd.
The overwhelming sadness was tangible, as young Maria Doherty sang "Suffer little children to come onto me" and Dinny McLaughlin played the violin.
"We stand in communion today with so many and we pray to God that the events of last week will never be repeated in the history of our land," Rev Barton said. The EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn and his wife Dorothy came from Castlebar to show their solidarity with the local community.
"I wanted to come to Buncrana as this town had a tremendous loss. I felt as European Commissioner I should come here and express my sadness to the town, its community and the whole of Ireland.
"The silence said it all. The people were saying no to violence and recrimination and an end to war. Peace must triumph. This tragedy has touched the hearts of all the people of Ireland and Irish people all over the world. The real hope and expectation is that out of this terrible evil peace will surely come, this is the prayer that the people have expressed in this silence," he said
Author Jennifer Johnston came to show she cared, feeling there was so little she could do to help.
"Everyone wants this to be the last," she said.
Richard Moore, founder of Children in Cross Fire explained how Buncrana had only a month ago, organised to help children in Kenema, Sierra Leone who were suffering the awful effects of war there.
"One month later the local and Spanish children walk through the same thing," he added.
Don Mullan, author of "Bloody Sunday" condemned those who planted the Omagh bomb.
"The war is over, people have chosen a way of dialogue and shared respect for our culture and political identities The way forward is through understanding. I don't want the vision of Ireland that those people have, an Ireland united through the needles of plastic surgeons. People who call themselves republicans are sickened There is a presumption of arrogance among those people to say that Bobby Sands would have taken a different route from Sinn Fein. The memory of Bobby Sands has been terribly dishonoured by these people," he stated.
Mothers and grandmothers spoke to Dr McDaid TD and Cecilia Keaveney TD of their feelings and their hopes for the future.
"I would hope that this is the watershed. It is different from any other," he told them.
As the crowds dispersed, hundreds went to sign the books of condolence opened at Scoil Iosagain and St Mary's Church. Cockhill "Sorry" and "Why" were the most predominant rerecorded.
Further Information
Publisher: DERRY PEOPLE DONEGAL NEWS
Ref: DPDN/032
Published Date: 28-Aug-98
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