BOMB-BLITZED TOWN STUNS FIRST LADY
Bomb-blitzed town stuns First Lady
FIRST Lady Hillary Clinton was stopped in her tracks as she stared in open-mouthed disbelief at Omagh's bomb-blitzed Market Street.
She gasped almost inaudibly: "My God."
She and the President stood on the patch of scorched earth where the car which contained the 5001b bomb had been parked.
Bill Clinton could not hide his horror and his eyes filled with tears.
Clutching three white carnations in her hand, a white-faced Hillary gazed at the bomb wreckage which had been piled high above her head in the gutted hole where S D Kells' drapers once stood.
The President and Tony Blair stood either side of a podium and pulled back a black drape to reveal Mr and Mrs Clinton's memorial for the people of Omagh.
The gold-coloured plaque which paid tribute to the 28 people who died glinted in the brilliant sunshine.
The two leaders and their wives walked slowly past the gutted stumps of two bombed buildings and headed towards the hysterical crowds.
They were mobbed by outstretched arms as they shook hands with elated locals.
As they reached the junction with Bridge Street they stopped to read the prayerful offerings of people far and wide pinned to hundreds of bouquets outside Wattersons, which lost three members of staff.
Hillary and Cherie Blair laid wreaths outside Wattersons and all four faltered for a few minutes in sad reflection.
Just before he left, President Clinton turned back to look at the waving crowd, and his eyes filled with tears once more.
He seemed clearly overcome with the graciousness of the grief-stricken, and the warm welcome bestowed upon him by those who had suffered so bitterly.
FIRST Lady Hillary Clinton was stopped in her tracks as she stared in open-mouthed disbelief at Omagh's bomb-blitzed Market Street.
She gasped almost inaudibly: "My God."
She and the President stood on the patch of scorched earth where the car which contained the 5001b bomb had been parked.
Bill Clinton could not hide his horror and his eyes filled with tears.
Clutching three white carnations in her hand, a white-faced Hillary gazed at the bomb wreckage which had been piled high above her head in the gutted hole where S D Kells' drapers once stood.
The President and Tony Blair stood either side of a podium and pulled back a black drape to reveal Mr and Mrs Clinton's memorial for the people of Omagh.
The gold-coloured plaque which paid tribute to the 28 people who died glinted in the brilliant sunshine.
The two leaders and their wives walked slowly past the gutted stumps of two bombed buildings and headed towards the hysterical crowds.
They were mobbed by outstretched arms as they shook hands with elated locals.
As they reached the junction with Bridge Street they stopped to read the prayerful offerings of people far and wide pinned to hundreds of bouquets outside Wattersons, which lost three members of staff.
Hillary and Cherie Blair laid wreaths outside Wattersons and all four faltered for a few minutes in sad reflection.
Just before he left, President Clinton turned back to look at the waving crowd, and his eyes filled with tears once more.
He seemed clearly overcome with the graciousness of the grief-stricken, and the warm welcome bestowed upon him by those who had suffered so bitterly.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/129
Published Date: 04-Sep-98
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