FOOTBALL MANAGER VISITS INJURED BOY
Football manager visits injured boy
By Denzil McDaniel
NINE-year-old injured bomb victim Emmet McLaughlin's eyes lit up yesterday when the manager of his beloved Leeds United walked up to his hospital bed.
Emmet, from Buncrana, Co Donegal, is still in intensive care in the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen after being badly burned in Saturday's Omagh atrocity.
Leeds manager George Graham heard the boy was a big fan of his club and made a flying visit to bring him a shirt and football signed by all the Leeds players.
"He's still poorly, but the visit seemed to brighten him up a bit. I think he was a bit overawed and was very quiet, but you could see the delight in his eyes," said Mr Graham.
In addition to bringing gifts from the team, George Graham also made a promise to Emmet.
"I told him once he was better we would bring him over to Leeds to meet the players and come training with us.
"We were in Dublin to play Shelboume and I was only to pleased to fly here to see the boy. What took place was a horrific act. Like everybody else I was astounded. At Leeds our Irish players are constantly aware of events back home," he said.
Among the other patients he visited were Castlederg sisters Clare Connolly, aged 16 and Eilish aged 26.
"We're really Manchester United fans, but we like Leeds too," Eilish told the Leeds boss.
George Graham listened as they both explained that they had been working in shops in Omagh when the bomb went off. They both suffered burns. Clare received some good news this week, she did particularly well in her GCSE's.
"It felt a bit weird to be happy in the circumstances," said Clare.
"It's also a bit weird to see a famous person like George Graham coming to see you. But he was really friendly and his visit helped cheer us up"".
Two Celtic FC officials and Danish international Mark Rieper yesterday attended the funerals of Donegal youngsters Oran Doherty, Sean McLaughlin and James Barker in Buncrana. The coffin of 11-year-old bomb victim Oran was draped in the flag of the Scottish club.
By Denzil McDaniel
NINE-year-old injured bomb victim Emmet McLaughlin's eyes lit up yesterday when the manager of his beloved Leeds United walked up to his hospital bed.
Emmet, from Buncrana, Co Donegal, is still in intensive care in the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen after being badly burned in Saturday's Omagh atrocity.
Leeds manager George Graham heard the boy was a big fan of his club and made a flying visit to bring him a shirt and football signed by all the Leeds players.
"He's still poorly, but the visit seemed to brighten him up a bit. I think he was a bit overawed and was very quiet, but you could see the delight in his eyes," said Mr Graham.
In addition to bringing gifts from the team, George Graham also made a promise to Emmet.
"I told him once he was better we would bring him over to Leeds to meet the players and come training with us.
"We were in Dublin to play Shelboume and I was only to pleased to fly here to see the boy. What took place was a horrific act. Like everybody else I was astounded. At Leeds our Irish players are constantly aware of events back home," he said.
Among the other patients he visited were Castlederg sisters Clare Connolly, aged 16 and Eilish aged 26.
"We're really Manchester United fans, but we like Leeds too," Eilish told the Leeds boss.
George Graham listened as they both explained that they had been working in shops in Omagh when the bomb went off. They both suffered burns. Clare received some good news this week, she did particularly well in her GCSE's.
"It felt a bit weird to be happy in the circumstances," said Clare.
"It's also a bit weird to see a famous person like George Graham coming to see you. But he was really friendly and his visit helped cheer us up"".
Two Celtic FC officials and Danish international Mark Rieper yesterday attended the funerals of Donegal youngsters Oran Doherty, Sean McLaughlin and James Barker in Buncrana. The coffin of 11-year-old bomb victim Oran was draped in the flag of the Scottish club.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0119
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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