LEADERS TO JOIN RELATIVES IN REMEMBERING OMAGH VICTIMS
Leaders to join relatives in remembering Omagh victims
By Graeme Neill
Tyrone Correspondent
REPRESENTATIVES of the British and Irish governments will be among those attending a memorial service marking the seventh anniversary of the Omagh bomb.
NIO minister Lord Rooker and Mary Hanafin, the Republic's minister for education and science, will be among those gathering at the memorial in the town tomorrow to remember those who died in the Real IRA atrocity.
The organisers said the inter-dominational service of music, verse and prayer "is designed to provide comfort of the bereaved, injured and traumatised families while being uplifting in nature".
Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when a car bomb exploded in Omagh town centre, which was full of shoppers, on August 15 1998.
The victims had walked into the path of the bomb after being moved away from another security alert in the town that day.
Since the bombing, the town centre has been slowly rebuilt and relatives of those who died have been campaigning for the bombers to be brought to justice.
Michael Gallagher, spokesman for the Omagh Support Self Help group, said the anniversary of the bombing was usually the hardest time for their relatives.
Mr Gallagher's 21-year-old son Aiden was killed in the atrocity.
"It's a very difficult time for everybody," he said.
"It just brings everything back to the surface and adds to the pain."
"One of the hardest things that adds to it is we are seven years on from the bombing and still no-one has been held accountable, north or south, despite the promises that have been made to the families."
Mr Gallagher said the support group had given people a platform to help one another.
"It's hard to imagine how we could have coped without it," he said.
Part of the service will include laying a wreath in memory of those who died in the London bombings. "For us it's important that we show solidarity with victims right across the world," he said.
The service of remembrance for the victims will be held at 3pm on Sunday at the Memorial Garden.
By Graeme Neill
Tyrone Correspondent
REPRESENTATIVES of the British and Irish governments will be among those attending a memorial service marking the seventh anniversary of the Omagh bomb.
NIO minister Lord Rooker and Mary Hanafin, the Republic's minister for education and science, will be among those gathering at the memorial in the town tomorrow to remember those who died in the Real IRA atrocity.
The organisers said the inter-dominational service of music, verse and prayer "is designed to provide comfort of the bereaved, injured and traumatised families while being uplifting in nature".
Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when a car bomb exploded in Omagh town centre, which was full of shoppers, on August 15 1998.
The victims had walked into the path of the bomb after being moved away from another security alert in the town that day.
Since the bombing, the town centre has been slowly rebuilt and relatives of those who died have been campaigning for the bombers to be brought to justice.
Michael Gallagher, spokesman for the Omagh Support Self Help group, said the anniversary of the bombing was usually the hardest time for their relatives.
Mr Gallagher's 21-year-old son Aiden was killed in the atrocity.
"It's a very difficult time for everybody," he said.
"It just brings everything back to the surface and adds to the pain."
"One of the hardest things that adds to it is we are seven years on from the bombing and still no-one has been held accountable, north or south, despite the promises that have been made to the families."
Mr Gallagher said the support group had given people a platform to help one another.
"It's hard to imagine how we could have coped without it," he said.
Part of the service will include laying a wreath in memory of those who died in the London bombings. "For us it's important that we show solidarity with victims right across the world," he said.
The service of remembrance for the victims will be held at 3pm on Sunday at the Memorial Garden.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0749
Published Date: 13-Aug-05
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