PEOPLE NUMB AS LITANY OF SUFFERING REVEALED
People numb as litany of suffering revealed
By STEPHEN O'BRIEN in Omagh
THERE WAS surprisingly little anger in Omagh last night as the town struggled to come to terms with the single greatest atrocity in the history of the northern troubles. It's much too early for anger. Anger can only come from a sense of outrage informed by an understanding of the horror and futility of what happened this weekend.
But just now, the people of Omagh are too numbed from shock and disbelief at the litany of death and suffering they have been hearing since the explosion. On High Street last night, beside the rain swept police cordon preserving the tragic scene on Market Street, little groups of friends and neighbours huddled and whispered sad tales of loss and pain.
At the steel shutters outside Dorothy Perkins the pile of floral tributes grew steadily.
The bouquets came from Derry and Coleraine, Killyclogher and Dunloy, from the McCausland family and the committee of disabled in community action.
"To the men, women and children who had to die; why? Who could kill an 18 month baby, her pregnant mum and her grandmother? They are neither Catholic or Protestant. They are savages, savages, savages,'' read one of the wreaths and it was signed "from one of the many Catholic couples who are disgusted - stop the killings and bombings, the war is over.''
Irene and Patterson Stewart had come to survey the scene again, 24 hours after the street where they run the Carlisle bookshop was the scene of utter devastation. Mrs Stewart said she had been detained at home on Saturday and was late coming back to the shop from lunch. Otherwise she would have been there when the blast went off. She said four of the eight staff in the shop were just yards from the car when it exploded but somehow miraculously escaped with minor injuries. The couple had just come from paying their sympathies to the family of Ann McCombe, one of four shop assistants at Watersons drapery who were reported to have been killed in the explosion.
Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to visit Omagh today. But his words will do little to speed healing in a town that has suffered so much.
By STEPHEN O'BRIEN in Omagh
THERE WAS surprisingly little anger in Omagh last night as the town struggled to come to terms with the single greatest atrocity in the history of the northern troubles. It's much too early for anger. Anger can only come from a sense of outrage informed by an understanding of the horror and futility of what happened this weekend.
But just now, the people of Omagh are too numbed from shock and disbelief at the litany of death and suffering they have been hearing since the explosion. On High Street last night, beside the rain swept police cordon preserving the tragic scene on Market Street, little groups of friends and neighbours huddled and whispered sad tales of loss and pain.
At the steel shutters outside Dorothy Perkins the pile of floral tributes grew steadily.
The bouquets came from Derry and Coleraine, Killyclogher and Dunloy, from the McCausland family and the committee of disabled in community action.
"To the men, women and children who had to die; why? Who could kill an 18 month baby, her pregnant mum and her grandmother? They are neither Catholic or Protestant. They are savages, savages, savages,'' read one of the wreaths and it was signed "from one of the many Catholic couples who are disgusted - stop the killings and bombings, the war is over.''
Irene and Patterson Stewart had come to survey the scene again, 24 hours after the street where they run the Carlisle bookshop was the scene of utter devastation. Mrs Stewart said she had been detained at home on Saturday and was late coming back to the shop from lunch. Otherwise she would have been there when the blast went off. She said four of the eight staff in the shop were just yards from the car when it exploded but somehow miraculously escaped with minor injuries. The couple had just come from paying their sympathies to the family of Ann McCombe, one of four shop assistants at Watersons drapery who were reported to have been killed in the explosion.
Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to visit Omagh today. But his words will do little to speed healing in a town that has suffered so much.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/006
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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