INJURED WOMAN'S HUSBAND HAILS HOSPITAL STAFF AS HEROES
Injured woman's husband hails hospital staff as heroes
A LOCAL publican has described how his wife, who has been recovering from injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital, insisted that he and their children attend Saturday's act of reflection in Omagh.
Speaking after the service, Mr. Michael Gallagher, who owns Gallagher's Bar in the town's High Street, said all the medical staff, from the Tyrone County to the Royal, were heroes in his eyes.
And he said he had never seen so much evil and so much goodness on the day the bomb went off.
Mr. Gallagher's brother, John, who has been over on holidays from England, and his sister, Frances, also attended Saturday's remembrance event.
"I thought the service was great. It was marvellous to see so many people here, how much they obviously care, and how shocked and horrified they were," Mr. Gallagher said.
"Some people might think this will split the community, but the whole community came together like one family, and everybody was concerned about each other.
"Even people who had relatives seriously ill were always asking how others were doing."
Mr. Gallagher explained that he and his wife, Patricia, had celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary the day before the bomb.
He said they had just handed over shifts at around 2.30pm on the Saturday, and, when he returned home, Patricia phoned him from outside SuperValu to say there was a bombscare at the courthouse.
"I asked her did she want me to come in and get her, but she said no. I went out to the garden, and 15 minutes later heard the bomb go off," he said.
He said he expected Patricia to phone, but when she did not, he drove into the town, only to discover that the bomb had not gone off at the courthouse, but down in Market Street.
He later discovered that Patricia had been standing outside McElroys Shoe Shop when the bomb went off.
"I went out to the hospital and it was pure bedlam. The carnage was awful, with people squealing and lying everywhere." he said.
"How the staff coped I just don't know. It is only when you actually experience it for yourself that you realise what a great job they do."
Mr. Gallagher described how Patricia was airlifted to Belfast and stabilised in the military wing at Musgrave Park Hospital, before being transferred to the Royal.
She suffered severe shrapnel wounds to her abdomen and was initially on the hospital's critical list.
"She is recovering well now, but the first couple of days were critical. The medical services were absolutely brilliant. Every last one of them, from the Tyrone County to the Royal, is a hero as far as I am concerned," Mr. Gallagher said.
"Without them, I don't think she would have made it. But through it all she had great spirit. The doctor said she had great heart, and that pulled her through.
"I have been travelling up and down to see her, because she insists I come home for the children. And she insisted I take the two older ones. Sean and Catherine, to the remembrance service."
He added that their three children were going to see their mother, who was due to be released yesterday (Wednesday), for the first time the following day.
Mr. Gallagher went on to thank all those who had phoned and called and sent cards and flowers.
"That helped to keep us going. It was a great comfort, and everyone was fantastic," he said.
And, commenting on the atrocity, he said: "I have never seen so much evil and so much goodness all in the same day."
Mr. Gallagher added that he hoped everybody could get over "this nightmare" as best they possibly could, and he also paid special tribute to all the emergency services.
"I have to thank them all. They will always be in our prayers," he said.
A LOCAL publican has described how his wife, who has been recovering from injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital, insisted that he and their children attend Saturday's act of reflection in Omagh.
Speaking after the service, Mr. Michael Gallagher, who owns Gallagher's Bar in the town's High Street, said all the medical staff, from the Tyrone County to the Royal, were heroes in his eyes.
And he said he had never seen so much evil and so much goodness on the day the bomb went off.
Mr. Gallagher's brother, John, who has been over on holidays from England, and his sister, Frances, also attended Saturday's remembrance event.
"I thought the service was great. It was marvellous to see so many people here, how much they obviously care, and how shocked and horrified they were," Mr. Gallagher said.
"Some people might think this will split the community, but the whole community came together like one family, and everybody was concerned about each other.
"Even people who had relatives seriously ill were always asking how others were doing."
Mr. Gallagher explained that he and his wife, Patricia, had celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary the day before the bomb.
He said they had just handed over shifts at around 2.30pm on the Saturday, and, when he returned home, Patricia phoned him from outside SuperValu to say there was a bombscare at the courthouse.
"I asked her did she want me to come in and get her, but she said no. I went out to the garden, and 15 minutes later heard the bomb go off," he said.
He said he expected Patricia to phone, but when she did not, he drove into the town, only to discover that the bomb had not gone off at the courthouse, but down in Market Street.
He later discovered that Patricia had been standing outside McElroys Shoe Shop when the bomb went off.
"I went out to the hospital and it was pure bedlam. The carnage was awful, with people squealing and lying everywhere." he said.
"How the staff coped I just don't know. It is only when you actually experience it for yourself that you realise what a great job they do."
Mr. Gallagher described how Patricia was airlifted to Belfast and stabilised in the military wing at Musgrave Park Hospital, before being transferred to the Royal.
She suffered severe shrapnel wounds to her abdomen and was initially on the hospital's critical list.
"She is recovering well now, but the first couple of days were critical. The medical services were absolutely brilliant. Every last one of them, from the Tyrone County to the Royal, is a hero as far as I am concerned," Mr. Gallagher said.
"Without them, I don't think she would have made it. But through it all she had great spirit. The doctor said she had great heart, and that pulled her through.
"I have been travelling up and down to see her, because she insists I come home for the children. And she insisted I take the two older ones. Sean and Catherine, to the remembrance service."
He added that their three children were going to see their mother, who was due to be released yesterday (Wednesday), for the first time the following day.
Mr. Gallagher went on to thank all those who had phoned and called and sent cards and flowers.
"That helped to keep us going. It was a great comfort, and everyone was fantastic," he said.
And, commenting on the atrocity, he said: "I have never seen so much evil and so much goodness all in the same day."
Mr. Gallagher added that he hoped everybody could get over "this nightmare" as best they possibly could, and he also paid special tribute to all the emergency services.
"I have to thank them all. They will always be in our prayers," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0284
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.