BEREAVED OVERWHELMED BY HUGE NUMBERS WHO TURNED OUT TO GIVE THEIR SUPPORT
Bereaved 'overwhelmed' by huge numbers who turned out to give their support
THE chairman and vice-chairman of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group have said they were 'overwhelmed' by the huge numbers of people who came out on Sunday to support those bereaved and injured by the bomb.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, chairman, said he felt each and every person had also come out in support of peace. And he urged politicians to take their lead from the clergy in Omagh and district, who had worked so well together for the good of all.
Both he and Mr. Stanley McCombe, his friend and the support group's vice-chairman, said they did not want Omagh to be forgotten.
Mr. Gallagher said he had joined Mr. McCombe at Sunday morning service at Mountjoy Presbyterian Church.
"It was nice to be there with him, and the day started out lovely and bright," he said.
"Later, we came into the town for the remembrance ceremony, and when I turned the corner of John Street I saw the crowd. It was totally unbelievable," he said.
"To me it was another call for peace from every person who came out. I just felt that they really wanted to move forward and wanted peace."
Mr. Gallagher said it would have been difficult not to have been moved by the ceremony itself, and he paid tribute to all those involved in the organisation of it.
"The Support Group did have an input, but not on the actual practicalities. We did request that if any politicians came it would be low-key, but the contents of the ceremony were as much a surprise to us as anyone else who was there," he said.
Helped
"Personally I feel it helped me tremendously, and probably most of the families who managed to be there. It showed that people really had not forgotten us and still cared. There were visitors there from all over.
"What was so beautiful about it was that it not only remembered what happened on August 15, but also acknowledged the suffering of all those people who came before us, who suffered the same pain.
"Omagh was not an isolated incident it was a continuation of 30 years. It was important to see people like Mrs. Restorick and other victims of violence over the years taking part.
"I would hope that the message would go out that there has to be an end to the violence, especially after what we saw on our television screens on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"We need leadership in the community, and in Omagh we have been given that by all the local clergy who came together and helped see us through. Their lead should now be taken up by the politicians, who, if they had taken charge last year, would have divided the community."
Mr. Gallagher went on to say that, sadly, this was only the first of many anniversaries, but they were grateful for the support they had received over this "first hurdle".
Referring to the media coverage Omagh had received over the past year, he said he would still like to see the media taking an interest in the town.
"We cannot let the world forget the pain that happened here. Sadly the world moves on to another atrocity, but if the media keeps an interest in Omagh, then we won't be forgotten."
He went on to say that by next year, a permanent garden of remembrance would hopefully be in place, to allow people to go there and quietly remember the dead.
Mr. Gallagher added: "I feel Omagh can be held up as an example of people working together, and I would want that to continue."
Moving experience
Mr. McCombe said the memorial ceremony was a very moving experience, and he, too, paid tribute to the organisers, particularly the Churches Forum.
"I found it a help, and it showed the love and the care all the churches had for the people who were murdered and those left behind," he said.
"When I came round the corner into High Street it was unbelievable how many people were there. For so many to come out and support us, it was overwhelming.
"Sunday was a hard day for me and for everybody - being at my own church and then visiting Ann's grave afterwards. So many of my friends were victims as well, and they came to the service at Mountjoy."
Commenting on the future, he said: "For the families of the victims, normality will be a long long time in coming, if ever.
"It is as painful today as it was 12 months ago. People say to you that things will get better and life will move on. But that does not really happen.
"Bishop James Mehaffey summed it up by saying that people cannot get on with their lives because of the enormity of the devastation. You just can't suddenly change after a year - a part of your life is gone."
He said that anybody who had been injured or lost limbs would also never be the same again.
Mr. McCombe went on to say he could not describe how he and others felt at Sunday's ceremony.
"When you were sitting there, your thoughts were going back to last year. You were thinking what people were saying and doing, who they were with, just as ten past three approached," he said.
Like Mr. Gallagher, he, too, said Omagh should not be forgotten.
"My family and other families lost too much, and we won't let the Government or the politicians forget us or Omagh," he said.
THE chairman and vice-chairman of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group have said they were 'overwhelmed' by the huge numbers of people who came out on Sunday to support those bereaved and injured by the bomb.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, chairman, said he felt each and every person had also come out in support of peace. And he urged politicians to take their lead from the clergy in Omagh and district, who had worked so well together for the good of all.
Both he and Mr. Stanley McCombe, his friend and the support group's vice-chairman, said they did not want Omagh to be forgotten.
Mr. Gallagher said he had joined Mr. McCombe at Sunday morning service at Mountjoy Presbyterian Church.
"It was nice to be there with him, and the day started out lovely and bright," he said.
"Later, we came into the town for the remembrance ceremony, and when I turned the corner of John Street I saw the crowd. It was totally unbelievable," he said.
"To me it was another call for peace from every person who came out. I just felt that they really wanted to move forward and wanted peace."
Mr. Gallagher said it would have been difficult not to have been moved by the ceremony itself, and he paid tribute to all those involved in the organisation of it.
"The Support Group did have an input, but not on the actual practicalities. We did request that if any politicians came it would be low-key, but the contents of the ceremony were as much a surprise to us as anyone else who was there," he said.
Helped
"Personally I feel it helped me tremendously, and probably most of the families who managed to be there. It showed that people really had not forgotten us and still cared. There were visitors there from all over.
"What was so beautiful about it was that it not only remembered what happened on August 15, but also acknowledged the suffering of all those people who came before us, who suffered the same pain.
"Omagh was not an isolated incident it was a continuation of 30 years. It was important to see people like Mrs. Restorick and other victims of violence over the years taking part.
"I would hope that the message would go out that there has to be an end to the violence, especially after what we saw on our television screens on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"We need leadership in the community, and in Omagh we have been given that by all the local clergy who came together and helped see us through. Their lead should now be taken up by the politicians, who, if they had taken charge last year, would have divided the community."
Mr. Gallagher went on to say that, sadly, this was only the first of many anniversaries, but they were grateful for the support they had received over this "first hurdle".
Referring to the media coverage Omagh had received over the past year, he said he would still like to see the media taking an interest in the town.
"We cannot let the world forget the pain that happened here. Sadly the world moves on to another atrocity, but if the media keeps an interest in Omagh, then we won't be forgotten."
He went on to say that by next year, a permanent garden of remembrance would hopefully be in place, to allow people to go there and quietly remember the dead.
Mr. Gallagher added: "I feel Omagh can be held up as an example of people working together, and I would want that to continue."
Moving experience
Mr. McCombe said the memorial ceremony was a very moving experience, and he, too, paid tribute to the organisers, particularly the Churches Forum.
"I found it a help, and it showed the love and the care all the churches had for the people who were murdered and those left behind," he said.
"When I came round the corner into High Street it was unbelievable how many people were there. For so many to come out and support us, it was overwhelming.
"Sunday was a hard day for me and for everybody - being at my own church and then visiting Ann's grave afterwards. So many of my friends were victims as well, and they came to the service at Mountjoy."
Commenting on the future, he said: "For the families of the victims, normality will be a long long time in coming, if ever.
"It is as painful today as it was 12 months ago. People say to you that things will get better and life will move on. But that does not really happen.
"Bishop James Mehaffey summed it up by saying that people cannot get on with their lives because of the enormity of the devastation. You just can't suddenly change after a year - a part of your life is gone."
He said that anybody who had been injured or lost limbs would also never be the same again.
Mr. McCombe went on to say he could not describe how he and others felt at Sunday's ceremony.
"When you were sitting there, your thoughts were going back to last year. You were thinking what people were saying and doing, who they were with, just as ten past three approached," he said.
Like Mr. Gallagher, he, too, said Omagh should not be forgotten.
"My family and other families lost too much, and we won't let the Government or the politicians forget us or Omagh," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0724
Published Date: 19-Aug-99
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