TOWN NEWCOMER SHOCKED BY ATROCITY
Town newcomer from 'down under' shocked by atrocity
OMAGH Academicals New Zealand signing spoke this week of the shock and horror of seeing young children walking about covered in blood.
Simon McKearney, his wife, Jacqui, and another friend from New Zealand, had been at Dungannon for a training session between the Tyrone clubs.
They left earlier than the others because they wanted to see the All-Blacks game against South Africa live on television.
"We arrived in Omagh just before 3.15pm and came into the town along the Dublin Road. We were the fourth car in the line and there was a fire engine, but there were no police about," he said.
He went on: "We thought a parade was taking place and when I looked up I saw what looked like a building under construction."
However, Simon soon realised that was not the case and reckoned there had been a bomb.
"There were a lot of people walking about, and we turned and made for our house on Crevenagh Road, close to the swinging bars roundabout," he said.
He said that then all the police and army started to arrive and when they took a look down the road from the roundabout they could hear screaming and there were people walking up towards the hospital, some covered in blood.
"We were shocked. My wife being a primary school teacher was really upset at seeing the small children, and then hearing about others who had died," he said.
"Obviously our parents back home were really worried and because the phones were down they could not contact us," the New Zealander said.
He went on: "We eventually contacted our parents on Sunday morning, on a phone outside the area and they were really glad to hear from us."
He said it was sad to hear of so many dead and seriously injured.
"It was a horrible thing to do and I am just glad that we had been away playing rugby, because I am sure my wife and I would have been up the town," he said.
Asked if he would consider moving away from the area because of what had happened, Simon, would only say that for the meantime they were 'staying put'.
OMAGH Academicals New Zealand signing spoke this week of the shock and horror of seeing young children walking about covered in blood.
Simon McKearney, his wife, Jacqui, and another friend from New Zealand, had been at Dungannon for a training session between the Tyrone clubs.
They left earlier than the others because they wanted to see the All-Blacks game against South Africa live on television.
"We arrived in Omagh just before 3.15pm and came into the town along the Dublin Road. We were the fourth car in the line and there was a fire engine, but there were no police about," he said.
He went on: "We thought a parade was taking place and when I looked up I saw what looked like a building under construction."
However, Simon soon realised that was not the case and reckoned there had been a bomb.
"There were a lot of people walking about, and we turned and made for our house on Crevenagh Road, close to the swinging bars roundabout," he said.
He said that then all the police and army started to arrive and when they took a look down the road from the roundabout they could hear screaming and there were people walking up towards the hospital, some covered in blood.
"We were shocked. My wife being a primary school teacher was really upset at seeing the small children, and then hearing about others who had died," he said.
"Obviously our parents back home were really worried and because the phones were down they could not contact us," the New Zealander said.
He went on: "We eventually contacted our parents on Sunday morning, on a phone outside the area and they were really glad to hear from us."
He said it was sad to hear of so many dead and seriously injured.
"It was a horrible thing to do and I am just glad that we had been away playing rugby, because I am sure my wife and I would have been up the town," he said.
Asked if he would consider moving away from the area because of what had happened, Simon, would only say that for the meantime they were 'staying put'.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0253
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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