THREE GENERATIONS OF SAME FAMILY WIPED OUT
Three generations of same family wiped out as they shopped
THREE generations of one family were wiped out in a second as the bomb ripped through Market Street.
Mrs. Mary Grimes (65), her daughter Mrs. Avril Monaghan (30), and Avril's 18-month-old daughter, Maura, were shopping and died instantly when the bomb exploded.
Mrs. Monaghan was also pregnant, expecting twins this autumn.
The Grimes family, who live outside Beragh, and the Monaghan family, at Aughadarra, Augher, were coming to terms with the tragic loss.
Saturday should have been a day of celebration for Mrs. Grimes' her 65th birthday. But the planned celebration turned to a time of worry as members of the family spent hours in Omagh waiting to hear news of the three family members.
The family were devastated when they learned that all three had been savagely killed.
Beragh was a village in mourning on Monday as residents tried to come to terms with the triple tragedy. People in shops spoke of the horror of the bomb and of their grief for the Grimes family.
The close-knit community had never witnessed anything like it before.
The village came to a standstill on yesterday morning (Wednesday) when Mrs. Grimes' funeral took place.
Hundreds of people lined the streets as the hearse carrying her remains drove through on yesterday morning (Wednesday).
Sunday morning Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, was a sombre occasion said local priest, Fr. Arthur McAnerney, who had christened Maura.
"The whole community - both sides - is absolutely shaken by what has happened, but I hope it makes them more determined to work for peace," he said.
Archbishop Sean Brady, Roman Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, was among a number of clergy who visited the house on Sunday. He said the family were devastated.
Mrs. Grimes, a former nurse and mother of a family of 12, was popular among the parishioners of Beragh, and helped her husband., Michael, out on the dairy farm.
She did much work for charities and was well liked by everyone in the area. She was hospitable and quite, a model citizen and, with her husband, attended Mass every day.
Mr. Grimes had worked for peace across the sectarian divide and in the 70s and 80s he edited a monthly newspaper called The Link, which was aimed at maintaining the bridge between the two communities in the area.
"This has been a terrible tragedy. My wife is gone and two other young lives are gone before their time," Mr. Grimes said.
"The papers have said we have lost three people. We really have lost five as Avril was expecting the twins. It really is tragic," he added.
One of Avril's older brothers, Martin, bravely choked back the tears, as he described the death of his mother, sister and niece as a sickening loss.
"Avril and her husband had been looking forward to the birth of the twins. They had settled in their home and were looking forward to life together. It is just so sad, we will never ever get over this," he added.
Mrs. Grimes is survived by her husband and 10 sons, Patrick, Timothy, Martin, Finbar, Declan, Ferghal, Niall, Damien and Aodhan, and her daughter, Mary.
The Monaghan family in Augher were also grief stricken, and Avril's husband, Michael, was trying to come to terms with his wife's and daughter's death.
He was comforting his young family - two daughters, Aoibheann. Elisha, and a son, Patrick - the eldest of which is six, while his own family comforted him.
The parish priest at Augher, Fr. Lawrence Dawson, said he hoped the family would be able to come to terms with their grief with the help of relatives and friends.
Maura, was described as being a beautiful, curly haired angel who was loved by everyone.
Mrs. Monaghan had been a pupil at Loreto Convent Grammar School and also studied business studies at the Omagh College of Further Education, where she was a former pupil of Assembly man Mr. Joe Byrne.
He spoke of his sadness at her death.
"I remember Avril at the college. She was quiet, but was popular and friendly, and was liked by students and staff," he said.
Avril was popular in the village and some of her many friends said they still could not get over that she was dead.
One girl, who did not wish to be named, said: "Everyone in the village is numbed by this. We really expect that we will wake up tomorrow and think that the whole thing was a dream."
She went on: "The Grimes family are so popular locally and anyone who calls is always welcomed with open hearts and sure to get a cup of tea."
Mrs. Monaghan and her baby daughter were buried at Augher on Tuesday morning.
In a statement issued through Shields, Murnaghan and Fee solicitors, both the Grimes and Monaghan families said they wanted to express their gratitude to the many who had given their assistance since the awful events of Saturday.
The statement thanked Sharon Robinson, the shop assistant from SD Kells, who was the last to see them alive; the many bystanders who gave what help they could; the emergency services, both official and unofficial; the Army and especially the RUC for the personal and caring manner in which the families were dealt; to the neighbours of both families for their much valued assistance and to the many well wishers from near and far.
The statement went on: "Our thoughts and prayers are for the many others who are going through a similar experience to our own. We pray for those that have been injured both physically and mentally.
"Both families know that it would have been the wish of Mary and Avril that in some way some good would come from their untimely deaths. They would also wish to make it clear that no party or section of the community should seek to take advantage of their tragedy."
THREE generations of one family were wiped out in a second as the bomb ripped through Market Street.
Mrs. Mary Grimes (65), her daughter Mrs. Avril Monaghan (30), and Avril's 18-month-old daughter, Maura, were shopping and died instantly when the bomb exploded.
Mrs. Monaghan was also pregnant, expecting twins this autumn.
The Grimes family, who live outside Beragh, and the Monaghan family, at Aughadarra, Augher, were coming to terms with the tragic loss.
Saturday should have been a day of celebration for Mrs. Grimes' her 65th birthday. But the planned celebration turned to a time of worry as members of the family spent hours in Omagh waiting to hear news of the three family members.
The family were devastated when they learned that all three had been savagely killed.
Beragh was a village in mourning on Monday as residents tried to come to terms with the triple tragedy. People in shops spoke of the horror of the bomb and of their grief for the Grimes family.
The close-knit community had never witnessed anything like it before.
The village came to a standstill on yesterday morning (Wednesday) when Mrs. Grimes' funeral took place.
Hundreds of people lined the streets as the hearse carrying her remains drove through on yesterday morning (Wednesday).
Sunday morning Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, was a sombre occasion said local priest, Fr. Arthur McAnerney, who had christened Maura.
"The whole community - both sides - is absolutely shaken by what has happened, but I hope it makes them more determined to work for peace," he said.
Archbishop Sean Brady, Roman Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, was among a number of clergy who visited the house on Sunday. He said the family were devastated.
Mrs. Grimes, a former nurse and mother of a family of 12, was popular among the parishioners of Beragh, and helped her husband., Michael, out on the dairy farm.
She did much work for charities and was well liked by everyone in the area. She was hospitable and quite, a model citizen and, with her husband, attended Mass every day.
Mr. Grimes had worked for peace across the sectarian divide and in the 70s and 80s he edited a monthly newspaper called The Link, which was aimed at maintaining the bridge between the two communities in the area.
"This has been a terrible tragedy. My wife is gone and two other young lives are gone before their time," Mr. Grimes said.
"The papers have said we have lost three people. We really have lost five as Avril was expecting the twins. It really is tragic," he added.
One of Avril's older brothers, Martin, bravely choked back the tears, as he described the death of his mother, sister and niece as a sickening loss.
"Avril and her husband had been looking forward to the birth of the twins. They had settled in their home and were looking forward to life together. It is just so sad, we will never ever get over this," he added.
Mrs. Grimes is survived by her husband and 10 sons, Patrick, Timothy, Martin, Finbar, Declan, Ferghal, Niall, Damien and Aodhan, and her daughter, Mary.
The Monaghan family in Augher were also grief stricken, and Avril's husband, Michael, was trying to come to terms with his wife's and daughter's death.
He was comforting his young family - two daughters, Aoibheann. Elisha, and a son, Patrick - the eldest of which is six, while his own family comforted him.
The parish priest at Augher, Fr. Lawrence Dawson, said he hoped the family would be able to come to terms with their grief with the help of relatives and friends.
Maura, was described as being a beautiful, curly haired angel who was loved by everyone.
Mrs. Monaghan had been a pupil at Loreto Convent Grammar School and also studied business studies at the Omagh College of Further Education, where she was a former pupil of Assembly man Mr. Joe Byrne.
He spoke of his sadness at her death.
"I remember Avril at the college. She was quiet, but was popular and friendly, and was liked by students and staff," he said.
Avril was popular in the village and some of her many friends said they still could not get over that she was dead.
One girl, who did not wish to be named, said: "Everyone in the village is numbed by this. We really expect that we will wake up tomorrow and think that the whole thing was a dream."
She went on: "The Grimes family are so popular locally and anyone who calls is always welcomed with open hearts and sure to get a cup of tea."
Mrs. Monaghan and her baby daughter were buried at Augher on Tuesday morning.
In a statement issued through Shields, Murnaghan and Fee solicitors, both the Grimes and Monaghan families said they wanted to express their gratitude to the many who had given their assistance since the awful events of Saturday.
The statement thanked Sharon Robinson, the shop assistant from SD Kells, who was the last to see them alive; the many bystanders who gave what help they could; the emergency services, both official and unofficial; the Army and especially the RUC for the personal and caring manner in which the families were dealt; to the neighbours of both families for their much valued assistance and to the many well wishers from near and far.
The statement went on: "Our thoughts and prayers are for the many others who are going through a similar experience to our own. We pray for those that have been injured both physically and mentally.
"Both families know that it would have been the wish of Mary and Avril that in some way some good would come from their untimely deaths. They would also wish to make it clear that no party or section of the community should seek to take advantage of their tragedy."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0033
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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