COMMUNITIES ARE 'UNITED IN GRIEF'
Communities are 'united in grief'
By Darren McCann
Tyrone Correspondent
A SPANISH city and an Irish town united in grief after a harrowing atrocity. That will be the theme when the chairman of Omagh District Council travels to Madrid on Monday to pass on a book of condolences to municipal leaders in the Spanish capital.
Councillor Allan Rainey will present the book of condolences, which was opened in Omagh after more than 200 people were killed by al-Qaida bombs two months ago.
Mr Rainey said that the Madrid experience brought back a lot of memories for people in Omagh.
"When you're away from it, it's out of sight, out of mind," he said.
" It's only when you touch down and make contact with people who are in the midst of the same experience we came through that it all comes flooding back to you."
"It is very similar there to how it was here. The last time I travelled there there were groups of people sitting around with cards and candles and messages.
"Their great desire was to know if there was a magical solution about how to put it all behind them and move on.
"Our experience, what we found was that this takes time to come about.
"Everyone is an individual and emotionally reacts in different ways. But people need time to unravel before they can start to pick up the pieces.
"That is what I will be saying to people there."
Mr Rainey will also present a very special piece of artwork, Petals of Hope, to Senora Esperanza Aguirre, president of Madrid's municipal government.
The Petals of Hope project began in the aftermath of the 1998 massacre in Omagh.
Small works were presented to each of the bereaved families in the aftermath of the 1998 atrocity, while three larger works were also designed for the towns affected by the tragedy.
One is to find a permanent home at the Omagh Arts Centre when it opens in 2006.
Another is in Buncrana, home of Oran Doherty, Sean McLoughlin and James Barker. The Co Donegal schoolchildren were killed in the bombing.
Now the third piece of arts to be presented to Madrid, home to two of the victims, Fernando Blasco Baselga and Rocia Abad Ramos.
By Darren McCann
Tyrone Correspondent
A SPANISH city and an Irish town united in grief after a harrowing atrocity. That will be the theme when the chairman of Omagh District Council travels to Madrid on Monday to pass on a book of condolences to municipal leaders in the Spanish capital.
Councillor Allan Rainey will present the book of condolences, which was opened in Omagh after more than 200 people were killed by al-Qaida bombs two months ago.
Mr Rainey said that the Madrid experience brought back a lot of memories for people in Omagh.
"When you're away from it, it's out of sight, out of mind," he said.
" It's only when you touch down and make contact with people who are in the midst of the same experience we came through that it all comes flooding back to you."
"It is very similar there to how it was here. The last time I travelled there there were groups of people sitting around with cards and candles and messages.
"Their great desire was to know if there was a magical solution about how to put it all behind them and move on.
"Our experience, what we found was that this takes time to come about.
"Everyone is an individual and emotionally reacts in different ways. But people need time to unravel before they can start to pick up the pieces.
"That is what I will be saying to people there."
Mr Rainey will also present a very special piece of artwork, Petals of Hope, to Senora Esperanza Aguirre, president of Madrid's municipal government.
The Petals of Hope project began in the aftermath of the 1998 massacre in Omagh.
Small works were presented to each of the bereaved families in the aftermath of the 1998 atrocity, while three larger works were also designed for the towns affected by the tragedy.
One is to find a permanent home at the Omagh Arts Centre when it opens in 2006.
Another is in Buncrana, home of Oran Doherty, Sean McLoughlin and James Barker. The Co Donegal schoolchildren were killed in the bombing.
Now the third piece of arts to be presented to Madrid, home to two of the victims, Fernando Blasco Baselga and Rocia Abad Ramos.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0693
Published Date: 21-May-04
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