THOUSANDS AT VIGIL HELD FOR OMAGH DEAD
Thousands at vigil held for Omagh dead
By Niall Blaney
THEY were the people murdered in Omagh.
There was the schoolgirl blown to bits. There was the pregnant woman carrying life inside her, thrown like a rag doll across Omagh's Main Street.
There was the toddler who knew nothing more than the comfort of her mother's arms.
There was the husband whose wife never came home. There was the wife, the mother, the Spanish student.
These people - who stood sombrely outside Belfast city hall yesterday - were the same kind of people murdered in Omagh. They were there to remember the dead, and they all acknowledged that it could have been them or their families murdered last Saturday.
A blanket of silence fell across the city centre, with just the wailing of an alarm sounding in the distance.
Children - the age of those massacred in Omagh - left flowers at the gates of city hall.
Young women with prams sat with their heads bowed, weeping.
Others clung hard to their children -holding on to dear life.
They joined thousands of people in the afternoon sun - office workers, trade unionists, community activists, church leaders and politicians.
Others looked on from surrounding buildings.
As the crowds gathered, queues formed to sign books of condolence inside city hall.
One man, a Big Issue vendor, knelt in front of the crowd praying - tears flooding down his face. Another woman held up a newspaper featuring photographs of the dead.
Members of the PUP stood alongside those of the SDLP, Sinn Fein councillors made a line across the front of the platform with their Ulster Unionist colleagues.
Lord Mayor David Alderdice said it was not a time for speeches but for silence and prayer.
It was time to listen to "the still small voice", he said.
Presbyterian minister Ruth Patterson, the lord mayor's chaplain, quoted from Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."
Quoting from Romans, she said: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The lord mayor read out the names of those murdered in Omagh.
The tears welled increasingly as each name carried across the hushed city centre.
Prayers were led by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Down and Connor, Harold Miller, and Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor, Michael Dallat.
They were joined by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, James Moore, Methodist minister Rev Jim Rea and Presbyterian minister Rev Jim Campbell.
Bishop Miller said people were lost for words. They were confused, uncertain, grieving and angry.
Bishop Dallat said it was now important to comfort and console the families. He praised the professionals who had helped the victims over "their dark days".
Among the floral tributes at the city hall were messages from young mothers.
One read: "With deepest sympathy to the people of Omagh murdered and injured by evil men. You are in my thoughts and prayers at this time. From a young mum."
By Niall Blaney
THEY were the people murdered in Omagh.
There was the schoolgirl blown to bits. There was the pregnant woman carrying life inside her, thrown like a rag doll across Omagh's Main Street.
There was the toddler who knew nothing more than the comfort of her mother's arms.
There was the husband whose wife never came home. There was the wife, the mother, the Spanish student.
These people - who stood sombrely outside Belfast city hall yesterday - were the same kind of people murdered in Omagh. They were there to remember the dead, and they all acknowledged that it could have been them or their families murdered last Saturday.
A blanket of silence fell across the city centre, with just the wailing of an alarm sounding in the distance.
Children - the age of those massacred in Omagh - left flowers at the gates of city hall.
Young women with prams sat with their heads bowed, weeping.
Others clung hard to their children -holding on to dear life.
They joined thousands of people in the afternoon sun - office workers, trade unionists, community activists, church leaders and politicians.
Others looked on from surrounding buildings.
As the crowds gathered, queues formed to sign books of condolence inside city hall.
One man, a Big Issue vendor, knelt in front of the crowd praying - tears flooding down his face. Another woman held up a newspaper featuring photographs of the dead.
Members of the PUP stood alongside those of the SDLP, Sinn Fein councillors made a line across the front of the platform with their Ulster Unionist colleagues.
Lord Mayor David Alderdice said it was not a time for speeches but for silence and prayer.
It was time to listen to "the still small voice", he said.
Presbyterian minister Ruth Patterson, the lord mayor's chaplain, quoted from Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."
Quoting from Romans, she said: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The lord mayor read out the names of those murdered in Omagh.
The tears welled increasingly as each name carried across the hushed city centre.
Prayers were led by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Down and Connor, Harold Miller, and Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor, Michael Dallat.
They were joined by the Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, James Moore, Methodist minister Rev Jim Rea and Presbyterian minister Rev Jim Campbell.
Bishop Miller said people were lost for words. They were confused, uncertain, grieving and angry.
Bishop Dallat said it was now important to comfort and console the families. He praised the professionals who had helped the victims over "their dark days".
Among the floral tributes at the city hall were messages from young mothers.
One read: "With deepest sympathy to the people of Omagh murdered and injured by evil men. You are in my thoughts and prayers at this time. From a young mum."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0088
Published Date: 19-Aug-98
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