PARISH PRIEST TELLS OF FAMILIES' UTTER SHOCK
Parish priest tells of families' utter shock
By Steven McCaffrey
A PRIEST whose parish lost two teenagers to the Omagh bombing has spoken of the families being thrown into "complete and utter shock".
Sean Heggarty visited the Carrickmore home of Gareth Conway (18) and Loughmacrory 17-year-old Brenda Logue.
Later he asked how human beings could inflict the pain the bombers have burdened this community with.
He said both families were shattered by the loss of young people only beginning to live their lives.
"The families are mustering great courage at the moment. They are completely and utterly shocked by what has happened to them" he said.
It is probably the most terrible incident I have ever come across. I have experienced people dying before - accidents happen, illnesses happen, but this situation has been created by other human beings - that is hard to take in.
"The families were shattered yesterday by their loss. Some of the people could hardly speak. But the ones that did, didn't speak of hate they just seemed so shaken."
Brenda, said to have just recently passed her driving test, was "full of life", Gareth a young man "any family would have been proud of".
Yesterday as Archbishop Sean Brady visited bereaved families in the area, relatives still searching for information on missing loved ones continued to pour into the incident centre established at Omagh Leisure Centre.
Eyewitness accounts recalled the horror that descended on the centre of the Co Tyrone town.
A 25-year-old Omagh woman was among those who unexpectedly drove into the bomb scene seconds after the explosion.
Like others close to the blast she did not hear the explosion - even though families as far as 15 miles away reported hearing it. As startled bystanders screamed of fears of a second explosive device she tried to drive out of the area.
"People were running away from the town and they were screaming about a second bomb. Everyone was screaming to 'get out'. I turned the car to get away, cars were racing out of town, breaking lights just desperate to get away. It was terrifying. Like others in this quiet Co Tyrone town she said the enormity of the unprecedented death toll is still sinking in. News of horrific injuries, many suffered by young people continued to filter out from across Omagh and outlying areas.
By Steven McCaffrey
A PRIEST whose parish lost two teenagers to the Omagh bombing has spoken of the families being thrown into "complete and utter shock".
Sean Heggarty visited the Carrickmore home of Gareth Conway (18) and Loughmacrory 17-year-old Brenda Logue.
Later he asked how human beings could inflict the pain the bombers have burdened this community with.
He said both families were shattered by the loss of young people only beginning to live their lives.
"The families are mustering great courage at the moment. They are completely and utterly shocked by what has happened to them" he said.
It is probably the most terrible incident I have ever come across. I have experienced people dying before - accidents happen, illnesses happen, but this situation has been created by other human beings - that is hard to take in.
"The families were shattered yesterday by their loss. Some of the people could hardly speak. But the ones that did, didn't speak of hate they just seemed so shaken."
Brenda, said to have just recently passed her driving test, was "full of life", Gareth a young man "any family would have been proud of".
Yesterday as Archbishop Sean Brady visited bereaved families in the area, relatives still searching for information on missing loved ones continued to pour into the incident centre established at Omagh Leisure Centre.
Eyewitness accounts recalled the horror that descended on the centre of the Co Tyrone town.
A 25-year-old Omagh woman was among those who unexpectedly drove into the bomb scene seconds after the explosion.
Like others close to the blast she did not hear the explosion - even though families as far as 15 miles away reported hearing it. As startled bystanders screamed of fears of a second explosive device she tried to drive out of the area.
"People were running away from the town and they were screaming about a second bomb. Everyone was screaming to 'get out'. I turned the car to get away, cars were racing out of town, breaking lights just desperate to get away. It was terrifying. Like others in this quiet Co Tyrone town she said the enormity of the unprecedented death toll is still sinking in. News of horrific injuries, many suffered by young people continued to filter out from across Omagh and outlying areas.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0005
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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