LEADERS SHARE OMAGH'S GRIEF
Leaders share Omagh's grief
'People's spirit will rebuild town' says President Clinton
By Seamus McKinney
THE gloom and pain of Omagh lifted briefly as thousands of people from the bomb-wrecked town turned out to welcome US president Bill Clinton.
After a poignant meeting with relatives of the 28 people who lost their lives in the August 15 bombing, Mr Clinton, his wife Hillary, British prime minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie came to the scene of the tragedy.
Nurses, fire officers, paramedics, police officers and the ordinary . people of Omagh basked in the late summer sun' to greet some of the most powerful men in the world.
At 5.47pm, marginally late, the presidential limo pulled into High Street, a street which just three weeks ago flashed across televisions
throughout the world, bloodied and wrecked.
Windows were still boarded up and shops carried appeals for information, but for one brief hour the pain of Omagh appeared to lessen.
US First Lady Hillary Clinton, followed by Cherie Blair, Prime Minister Tony Blair followed by President Clinton and George Mitchell moved to more than 1,000 members of the emergency services who had laboured through the carnage of the Omagh bombing.
Omagh midwife Mary McAnaney told the president his decision to come to Omagh had lifted everyone in the town.
Afterwards, she told how she thanked the president for his work and commented that he looked a little tired.
"He said he was very tired, that he had just come from Russia and I said I hoped he enjoyed his golf in Ballybunion," midwife McAnaney said.
To calls of "Hiya Bill" from enthusiastic townspeople, the president met RUC and Garda officers charged with bringing those responsible for the Omagh atrocity to justice.
Near the Oxfam shop where Lorraine Wilson (15) and her best friend Samantha McFarland (17) spent the last minutes before their young lives were ended, he met school colleagues and friends of the dead.
Sean O'Connor, the Celtic shirt-clad hero who captured the admiration of the world for his couragous efforts to save the dead and dying was there.
President Clinton asked him if he was all right and thanked him for everything he had done.
Speaking afterwards, the modest Dromore 19-year-old played down his part, bemused that the president of America should talk to him.
As the president faced towards Omagh courthouse he was welcomed by thousands, grateful that he had come to share their grief.
Nurse Sister Sarah Fisher who worked with the dying and wounded felt the presidential visit would help Omagh to recover but that ultimately the spirit of the people of Omagh would rebuild the Co Tyrone town.
After placing wreaths - simple floral tributes bearing no messages - at the scene where some of the men, women and children met their deaths, President Clinton boarded the cavalcade and left.
Omagh UUP MP William Thompson acknowledged President Clinton's gesture in coming to Omagh while Omagh SDLP Assemblyman Joe Byrne felt the president had no option but to come to the town.
"If he had come to Northern Ireland and not come to Omagh, it would have been a missed opportunity," he said.
As the barriers came down and the presidential visit ended, the people of Omagh returned to their grief last night, knowing their pain, at least, was recognised by the most powerful man in the world.
'People's spirit will rebuild town' says President Clinton
By Seamus McKinney
THE gloom and pain of Omagh lifted briefly as thousands of people from the bomb-wrecked town turned out to welcome US president Bill Clinton.
After a poignant meeting with relatives of the 28 people who lost their lives in the August 15 bombing, Mr Clinton, his wife Hillary, British prime minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie came to the scene of the tragedy.
Nurses, fire officers, paramedics, police officers and the ordinary . people of Omagh basked in the late summer sun' to greet some of the most powerful men in the world.
At 5.47pm, marginally late, the presidential limo pulled into High Street, a street which just three weeks ago flashed across televisions
throughout the world, bloodied and wrecked.
Windows were still boarded up and shops carried appeals for information, but for one brief hour the pain of Omagh appeared to lessen.
US First Lady Hillary Clinton, followed by Cherie Blair, Prime Minister Tony Blair followed by President Clinton and George Mitchell moved to more than 1,000 members of the emergency services who had laboured through the carnage of the Omagh bombing.
Omagh midwife Mary McAnaney told the president his decision to come to Omagh had lifted everyone in the town.
Afterwards, she told how she thanked the president for his work and commented that he looked a little tired.
"He said he was very tired, that he had just come from Russia and I said I hoped he enjoyed his golf in Ballybunion," midwife McAnaney said.
To calls of "Hiya Bill" from enthusiastic townspeople, the president met RUC and Garda officers charged with bringing those responsible for the Omagh atrocity to justice.
Near the Oxfam shop where Lorraine Wilson (15) and her best friend Samantha McFarland (17) spent the last minutes before their young lives were ended, he met school colleagues and friends of the dead.
Sean O'Connor, the Celtic shirt-clad hero who captured the admiration of the world for his couragous efforts to save the dead and dying was there.
President Clinton asked him if he was all right and thanked him for everything he had done.
Speaking afterwards, the modest Dromore 19-year-old played down his part, bemused that the president of America should talk to him.
As the president faced towards Omagh courthouse he was welcomed by thousands, grateful that he had come to share their grief.
Nurse Sister Sarah Fisher who worked with the dying and wounded felt the presidential visit would help Omagh to recover but that ultimately the spirit of the people of Omagh would rebuild the Co Tyrone town.
After placing wreaths - simple floral tributes bearing no messages - at the scene where some of the men, women and children met their deaths, President Clinton boarded the cavalcade and left.
Omagh UUP MP William Thompson acknowledged President Clinton's gesture in coming to Omagh while Omagh SDLP Assemblyman Joe Byrne felt the president had no option but to come to the town.
"If he had come to Northern Ireland and not come to Omagh, it would have been a missed opportunity," he said.
As the barriers came down and the presidential visit ended, the people of Omagh returned to their grief last night, knowing their pain, at least, was recognised by the most powerful man in the world.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0359
Published Date: 04-Sep-98
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