IN10An/02

Horrendous loss marked in book 10 years after Omagh
By Diana Rusk

MAN who lost his wife, pregnant daughter and granddaughter in the Omagh bomb has written a book in their memory to mark the 10th anniversary of the atrocity.
Mick Grimes (83) from Beragh in Tyrone, suffered horrendous loss when three generations of his family were wiped out by the device planted by the Real IRA on August 15 1998.
His wife Mary Grimes (65), daughter Avril Monaghan (30), and granddaughter, 18-month-old Maura Monaghan all died in the blast on Market Street along with 26 other people.
Avril Monaghan had been heavily pregnant with twins and the two unborn children were also killed.
Except for the unborn twins, her daughter Maura was the youngest victim of the explosion.
The personal family tragedy was so huge that a coroner said at the inquest into the deaths that he could not recall any family which had suffered such loss in the history of the Troubles.
Mr Grimes, a retired dairy farmer, said he decided to publish the book entitled Till We Meet Again to fulfil a request from his wife of 40 years.
"On different occasions over the years, Mary sometimes hinted that I should try to write a book but I knew in my heart that it was beyond my capability," he said.
"Then in the years after the Omagh atrocity in 1998 the fact that I had made no effort to comply with my wife's request sometimes caused me concern."
Mr Grimes's life story begins as an account of life in rural Northern Ireland but culminates in the heartbreaking day he lost his wife, daughter, granddaughter and two unborn grandchildren in the bomb blast.
It also includes a selection of his poetry that his wife had admired.
"About 18 months ago I decided to make an attempt [to write the book]," Mr Grimes said.
"No doubt some readers will frown at my endeavour but I like to think that somewhere beyond the great divide, there is one who smiles."
On the day of the bomb, Mr Grimes had bought flowers for his wife's 65th birthday, and her 11 children had left cards on the kitchen table while she was on a shopping trip to Omagh.
However, the birthday trip out with her daughter and granddaughter ended in tragedy when a bomb planted outside the SD Kells shop exploded and killed them.
Mr Grimes said Till We Meet Again is dedicated to all the Omagh bomb victims and is also being published to mark what would have been his wife's 75th birthday.
Published by Cregg Publishing, it will be officially launched at 8pm on Monday in Omagh Library and costs £10.
The book will be available at selected Easons bookshops and newsagents from August. It will also be available online at http://tillwemeet again.synthasite.com.