CLASSMATES' POETIC TRIBUTE TO OMAGH BOY
Classmates' poetic tribute to Omagh boy
By Seamus McKinney
Young victims remembered in children's poetry book
CLASSMATES of Sean McLaughlin, one of the Co Donegal children killed in the Omagh bombing, have published a book of poetry.
Sean (12), Oran Doherty (8) from Scoil Iosagain in Buncrana and James Barker, also from the Co Donegal town, died in the Omagh bombing after travelling to the town on a day out with Spanish exchange students.
Spanish student Fernando Blasco Baselga (12) and supervisor Rocio Abad Ramos (23) also died in the atrocity.
Entitled I am and dedicated to the five victims' memory, the collection of poetry moves from the poignant pain of losing friends in the Omagh tragedy to the funnier side of a primary school child's world.
In her introduction, school headmistress Sinead McLaughlin recalls the hurt suffered by everyone at Scoil Iosagain through last August's massacre.
"Parents, teachers and children are struggling to come to terms with the death of a son, a brother, a friend, a cousin, a pupil, a classmate, a neighbour.
"The loss of innocent life in such a cruel random manner is sometimes difficult to accept and almost impossible to comprehend. And yet as we try to deal with our feelings of disbelief, anger, pain and frustration, we know we have embarked on a journey, a long, frightening and sometimes lonely journey, of grief, which we hope in time will help us to cope with our loss and eventually lead us to recovery," Ms McLaughlin writes.
Compiled by the 12-year-old pupils of class six at the Co Donegal national school, one of the most moving entries is by Liam Grant.
"I am the day the bomb ripped out the heart of Omagh.
I am the second before my friend died, before a bit of me died.
I am the computer world that is open to me.
I am the shortness of life.
I am the small earth but the immense space."
But the book is also a celebration of the lives of young primary school children and for sheer imagination, it would be difficult to better Ronan Bradley's thoughts about rice.
"It looks like worms just born.
They stick in your teeth.
Mostly they are seen in a Chinese restaurant.
They also look like maggots in a box.
It tastes like gum.
It smells like the tip of my pencil."
Creative writer Kate Newman from Kilcar in South Donegal was one of the artists who was instrumental in compiling the book.
She explained that the idea arose when the head teacher used money from the Peace and Reconciliation Fund to bring writers, musicians and dancers into the school.
"The children were so involved. We all promised them that we would publish a book. We thought it would be a stapled-together thing but realised it should be a proper book," she explained.
Proceeds from the sales of the book which will be formally published tonight are to be used to buy books and other equipment for Scoil Iosagain.
The publication is a collection of the youngsters' thoughts on various topics from the colour red to their best and worst days.
Rita Marie Doherty recalled her worst day as the day she was caught up in the Omagh bombing.
"My worst day was the 15th of August 1998. I was in the Omagh bomb. It was very scary while we had to lie on grass for three-and-a-half hours. It was terrible. I will always remember that tragic day. All I could see and smell that day was smoke."
Bobby McColgan bluntly describes his best and worst days as: "One of my best days was when my cousin was born. One of my worst days is when Sean died."
By Seamus McKinney
Young victims remembered in children's poetry book
CLASSMATES of Sean McLaughlin, one of the Co Donegal children killed in the Omagh bombing, have published a book of poetry.
Sean (12), Oran Doherty (8) from Scoil Iosagain in Buncrana and James Barker, also from the Co Donegal town, died in the Omagh bombing after travelling to the town on a day out with Spanish exchange students.
Spanish student Fernando Blasco Baselga (12) and supervisor Rocio Abad Ramos (23) also died in the atrocity.
Entitled I am and dedicated to the five victims' memory, the collection of poetry moves from the poignant pain of losing friends in the Omagh tragedy to the funnier side of a primary school child's world.
In her introduction, school headmistress Sinead McLaughlin recalls the hurt suffered by everyone at Scoil Iosagain through last August's massacre.
"Parents, teachers and children are struggling to come to terms with the death of a son, a brother, a friend, a cousin, a pupil, a classmate, a neighbour.
"The loss of innocent life in such a cruel random manner is sometimes difficult to accept and almost impossible to comprehend. And yet as we try to deal with our feelings of disbelief, anger, pain and frustration, we know we have embarked on a journey, a long, frightening and sometimes lonely journey, of grief, which we hope in time will help us to cope with our loss and eventually lead us to recovery," Ms McLaughlin writes.
Compiled by the 12-year-old pupils of class six at the Co Donegal national school, one of the most moving entries is by Liam Grant.
"I am the day the bomb ripped out the heart of Omagh.
I am the second before my friend died, before a bit of me died.
I am the computer world that is open to me.
I am the shortness of life.
I am the small earth but the immense space."
But the book is also a celebration of the lives of young primary school children and for sheer imagination, it would be difficult to better Ronan Bradley's thoughts about rice.
"It looks like worms just born.
They stick in your teeth.
Mostly they are seen in a Chinese restaurant.
They also look like maggots in a box.
It tastes like gum.
It smells like the tip of my pencil."
Creative writer Kate Newman from Kilcar in South Donegal was one of the artists who was instrumental in compiling the book.
She explained that the idea arose when the head teacher used money from the Peace and Reconciliation Fund to bring writers, musicians and dancers into the school.
"The children were so involved. We all promised them that we would publish a book. We thought it would be a stapled-together thing but realised it should be a proper book," she explained.
Proceeds from the sales of the book which will be formally published tonight are to be used to buy books and other equipment for Scoil Iosagain.
The publication is a collection of the youngsters' thoughts on various topics from the colour red to their best and worst days.
Rita Marie Doherty recalled her worst day as the day she was caught up in the Omagh bombing.
"My worst day was the 15th of August 1998. I was in the Omagh bomb. It was very scary while we had to lie on grass for three-and-a-half hours. It was terrible. I will always remember that tragic day. All I could see and smell that day was smoke."
Bobby McColgan bluntly describes his best and worst days as: "One of my best days was when my cousin was born. One of my worst days is when Sean died."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0284
Published Date: 21-Jun-99
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