SERVICE PAYS TRIBUTE TO OMAGH VICTIMS
Service pays tribute to Omagh victims
THE 29 victims of the Omagh bomb were remembered at the Memorial Garden in the town yesterday afternoon, 14 years on from the atrocity.
The eleven Israeli athletes murdered at the Munich Olympic Games 40 years ago as well as the victims of Bloody Friday were also remembered in a poignant inter-denominational service.
A number of ministers gave readings during the service, which also included a performance by St Eugene's brass band and gospel singer Leslie Matthews.
Several members of the local Jewish community also attended the service and a representative read out a poem written this year to remember the Israeli athletes killed at Munich by Palestinian terrorists.
An estimated 500 people turned out to the service yesterday despite the wet weather, including members of the Jewish community, Justice Minister David Ford, chairman of Omagh District Council Errol Thompson and representatives from the Northern Ireland Office and the Irish government.
Spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the 1998 bomb, said the families were gratified by how many people had turned out to the service.
Mr Gallagher said there is a determination among families of the victims to get to the truth of what happened and called for the British and Irish governments to work together in a cross-border public inquiry into the matter.
"There is a determination to get to the truth, and why those responsible were never brought before the courts," he said.
"We have commissioned a report that we gave to the Secretary of State in June, to Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter in July and we gave a copy of it to Justice Minister David Ford at this service.
"We have had it re-investigated so many times, what we want is a cross-border public inquiry."
THE 29 victims of the Omagh bomb were remembered at the Memorial Garden in the town yesterday afternoon, 14 years on from the atrocity.
The eleven Israeli athletes murdered at the Munich Olympic Games 40 years ago as well as the victims of Bloody Friday were also remembered in a poignant inter-denominational service.
A number of ministers gave readings during the service, which also included a performance by St Eugene's brass band and gospel singer Leslie Matthews.
Several members of the local Jewish community also attended the service and a representative read out a poem written this year to remember the Israeli athletes killed at Munich by Palestinian terrorists.
An estimated 500 people turned out to the service yesterday despite the wet weather, including members of the Jewish community, Justice Minister David Ford, chairman of Omagh District Council Errol Thompson and representatives from the Northern Ireland Office and the Irish government.
Spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the 1998 bomb, said the families were gratified by how many people had turned out to the service.
Mr Gallagher said there is a determination among families of the victims to get to the truth of what happened and called for the British and Irish governments to work together in a cross-border public inquiry into the matter.
"There is a determination to get to the truth, and why those responsible were never brought before the courts," he said.
"We have commissioned a report that we gave to the Secretary of State in June, to Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter in July and we gave a copy of it to Justice Minister David Ford at this service.
"We have had it re-investigated so many times, what we want is a cross-border public inquiry."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/833
Published Date: 13-Aug-12
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