OMAGH BOMB GARDEN FURY
OMAGH 'BOMB GARDEN' FURY
By Ciaran McGuigan
OMAGH district council has come under fire for not tending the memorial garden dedicated to victims of the Real IRA bomb.
Families of some of the victims of the 1998 atrocity have accused the council of doing more to maintain the town's roundabouts, than the memorial garden.
They say the garden, dedicated to the 29 people who died, including a woman pregnant with twins, and the hundreds injured, is overrun with weeds and dead flowers, throughout the year.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of the victims, said: "People who have visited the garden have been very disappointed at the condition that the garden is kept in - it is not a fitting tribute to the many people who died and were injured.
"The council takes steps to clean the garden when it is coming round to the anniversary each year, because they know people's attention is fixed on it.
"But the rest of the time it seems to be just left for plants to wither and die.
"In fact, if you look around this town, there are traffic roundabouts that are better maintained than the garden. And that is a very sad state of affairs."
Godfrey Wilson lost his 15-year-old daughter Lorraine. He said the memorial garden was "another way in which the families are being let down".
He said: "The families of victims are used to being let down by governments and other elected bodies, and the way that the memorial garden has been maintained is of little surprise.
"Even when it came round to the anniversary, the garden was in a poor state of repair."
In a faxed statement to Sunday Life, a council spokesman insisted that the garden is "maintained regularly" by its staff.
"The Council maintains seasonal planting within the Memorial Garden, allowing the central area to remain free for use by families and visitors to the area, many of whom lay flowers."
The garden at Drumragh Avenue, opened in July 2000, was attacked by vandals last year.
Trees were uprooted, plants pulled out, and flower pots and seats overturned, but no one was ever charged in connection with the sick attack.
By Ciaran McGuigan
OMAGH district council has come under fire for not tending the memorial garden dedicated to victims of the Real IRA bomb.
Families of some of the victims of the 1998 atrocity have accused the council of doing more to maintain the town's roundabouts, than the memorial garden.
They say the garden, dedicated to the 29 people who died, including a woman pregnant with twins, and the hundreds injured, is overrun with weeds and dead flowers, throughout the year.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of the victims, said: "People who have visited the garden have been very disappointed at the condition that the garden is kept in - it is not a fitting tribute to the many people who died and were injured.
"The council takes steps to clean the garden when it is coming round to the anniversary each year, because they know people's attention is fixed on it.
"But the rest of the time it seems to be just left for plants to wither and die.
"In fact, if you look around this town, there are traffic roundabouts that are better maintained than the garden. And that is a very sad state of affairs."
Godfrey Wilson lost his 15-year-old daughter Lorraine. He said the memorial garden was "another way in which the families are being let down".
He said: "The families of victims are used to being let down by governments and other elected bodies, and the way that the memorial garden has been maintained is of little surprise.
"Even when it came round to the anniversary, the garden was in a poor state of repair."
In a faxed statement to Sunday Life, a council spokesman insisted that the garden is "maintained regularly" by its staff.
"The Council maintains seasonal planting within the Memorial Garden, allowing the central area to remain free for use by families and visitors to the area, many of whom lay flowers."
The garden at Drumragh Avenue, opened in July 2000, was attacked by vandals last year.
Trees were uprooted, plants pulled out, and flower pots and seats overturned, but no one was ever charged in connection with the sick attack.
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/143
Published Date: 17-Nov-02
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