ULSTER AND EIRE STAND STILL FOR ONE LONG MOMENT
Ulster and Eire stand still for one long moment
By LINDSAY FERGUS
SADNESS will fill the air today as Northern Ireland quietly remembers the 28 people who lost their lives in last Saturday's Omagh bomb.
In a massive outpouring of emotion, tens of thousands of people will pause for a moment of reflection at 3.10pm - the exact time that a 5001b car bomb ripped through the heart of the Co Tyrone town.
Villages, towns and cities will come to a virtual standstill as both traditions unite in grief for the victims of the province's worst atrocity.
Countless tears have been shed over the last week, the darkest Ulster has ever known, and countless more will be shed today.
On both sides of the border, scores of simple remembrance services will take place for the children, women and men who died at the hands of dissident republicans.
A sea of sympathisers are expected to descend on Omagh for a time of reflection which gets under way at the town's courthouse at 2.45pm, culminating in a time of silence 25 minutes later.
The leaders of the four main churches in Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, Roman Catholic Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, Church of Ireland Primate, Rev John Dixon, Presbyterian Moderator and Rev David Kerr, President of the Methodist Church - all of whom had members of their churches buried this week - will speak at the Omagh service which will include a time of prayer, scripture reading, singing and silence.
Political differences will be set aside when John Prescott, deputy Prime Minister, Paul Murphy, Political Development Minister, Mary McAleese, Eire President, Bertie Ahern, Eire Taoiseach, Liz O'Donnell, Eire Junior Affairs Minister and all the leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties come together in Omagh for the open-air service.
Mary McAleese will then travel to the Royal Victoria Hospital to meet those injured in the attack, and nursing staff who treated the casualties.
A spokesman from the NIO revealed that Northern Ireland Secretary of State would not be attending the Omagh time of reflection - "she will be somewhere else," he said.
Bertie Ahern has appealed to all the people of Ireland to attend their local service: "I want people to come out in their droves. We must all go out in huge numbers if we can. It will be an important act of solidarity at this difficult times."
A massive turnout is expected and the organisers have appealed for those attending to arrive early, share transport where possible and park on the outskirts of the town.
By LINDSAY FERGUS
SADNESS will fill the air today as Northern Ireland quietly remembers the 28 people who lost their lives in last Saturday's Omagh bomb.
In a massive outpouring of emotion, tens of thousands of people will pause for a moment of reflection at 3.10pm - the exact time that a 5001b car bomb ripped through the heart of the Co Tyrone town.
Villages, towns and cities will come to a virtual standstill as both traditions unite in grief for the victims of the province's worst atrocity.
Countless tears have been shed over the last week, the darkest Ulster has ever known, and countless more will be shed today.
On both sides of the border, scores of simple remembrance services will take place for the children, women and men who died at the hands of dissident republicans.
A sea of sympathisers are expected to descend on Omagh for a time of reflection which gets under way at the town's courthouse at 2.45pm, culminating in a time of silence 25 minutes later.
The leaders of the four main churches in Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, Roman Catholic Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, Church of Ireland Primate, Rev John Dixon, Presbyterian Moderator and Rev David Kerr, President of the Methodist Church - all of whom had members of their churches buried this week - will speak at the Omagh service which will include a time of prayer, scripture reading, singing and silence.
Political differences will be set aside when John Prescott, deputy Prime Minister, Paul Murphy, Political Development Minister, Mary McAleese, Eire President, Bertie Ahern, Eire Taoiseach, Liz O'Donnell, Eire Junior Affairs Minister and all the leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties come together in Omagh for the open-air service.
Mary McAleese will then travel to the Royal Victoria Hospital to meet those injured in the attack, and nursing staff who treated the casualties.
A spokesman from the NIO revealed that Northern Ireland Secretary of State would not be attending the Omagh time of reflection - "she will be somewhere else," he said.
Bertie Ahern has appealed to all the people of Ireland to attend their local service: "I want people to come out in their droves. We must all go out in huge numbers if we can. It will be an important act of solidarity at this difficult times."
A massive turnout is expected and the organisers have appealed for those attending to arrive early, share transport where possible and park on the outskirts of the town.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/079
Published Date: 22-Aug-98
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