TOWN COMES TO STANDSTILL FOR VIGIL AT BOMB SITE
Town comes to standstill for vigil at bomb site
"TOGETHER, may you who have the awful role of playing host to this atrocity, and we whose friends from Madrid and sons were among the visitors that fateful day, show to the world that love is more powerful than hate."
The balm-like words came from a visitor to Omagh, Fr. Shane Bradley, from St. Mary's Parish Church, Buncrana. They were specially chosen to comfort those still reeling from the sudden loss of family and friends inflicted by the Market Street bombing.
In the minutes before the vigil at 3pm on Saturday, the first and smaller of the two acts of remembrance in the town at the weekend, took place. Shop shutters had been pulled, a crowd of up to 2,000 people had gathered in support and remembrance, and traffic had come to a standstill.
Silence descended as the church bells began to toll, calling minds back to the same time on the same Saturday last year. At that moment the laughter and chatter of families, and soft words shared by friends, adults, children and visitors, had been replaced by screams of pain and anguish, sirens and cries for help.
The pock-marked surface of Market Street gathered rainwater in small pools, which was mingled with the tears of those who wept for their loss.
Immediately prior to a minute's silence, teenage survivor, Clare Gallagher, flanked by friends, slipped into the temporary garden of remembrance, occupying the site where once a public house had stood, to leave a bouquet and pay tribute to the dead.
The invitation to observe a minutes silence came from Mr. John McKinney, chief executive of Omagh District Council, and during it many wept openly. It was followed by words of thanks, hope and comfort. Among them were those of Fr. Bradley.
"To the people of Omagh on behalf of those most effected by our shared tragedy living in Buncrana, we remember," he said.
"We remember our loved ones who died with a sense of shared grief and despair.
"The pain of your bereaved families and all the scarred, both physically and emotionally. Our families also know the emptiness, the loss, the loneliness.
Emotions
"They, too, have felt the confusion of emotions anger, guilt, fear, and the despair as they live day by day with the deaths of the ones they loved.
"We remember with a sense of heartfelt gratitude your kindness, care and love, expressed in the sensitive manner of all the nurses, doctors, social carers, clergy, army, police and countless others when carrying out your most difficult of tasks in the Leisure Centre that night, in the temporary mortuary, Chapel of Rest, in your hospitals and in every encounter since," he said.
Fr. Bradley continued: "We remember with a sincere sense of admiration, the courage and leadership many of you have shown as you strive to be creative after such destruction, in offering healing after such hurt and injuries, and in constantly reaching out with love in the most trying of circumstances.
"We remember with inspiration the hope that you have held onto. The belief you have in life and all it offers in the face of death and destruction. And you have kept alive the light of faith amid the darkness of despair.
"We remember you, the people who share the suffering of that bomb, and you, the people who are with us in your and our darkest hour. We can never forget.
"Together, may you who have the awful role of playing host to this atrocity, and we whose friends from Madrid and sons were among the visitors that fateful day, show to the world that love is more powerful than hate.
"That what unites us is deeper and longer-lasting that what divides us, and life can be found after death. We remember you always. Please remember us," Fr. Bradley said.
The minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Rev. Robert Herron, who had played an important behind-the-scenes role with other clergy in organising the weekend's events, also spoke.
"In our street blood and water flowed. Silence shouts to those with ears to hear: 'Hey you, who still have breath, who have not had to drink this cup of wrath, look hard upon death and let those few-wrecked buildings keep now the silenced voices of our people," he said.
"Years had their endings then, as tills no more ring out. Hold broken shops our words in your dust, and you who go your way through our town with wounds within that call you back, come, stand, pray.
"We have gone, our blood has done its work. You must go on, press on into life," he said.
Also taking part in the short act of remembrance were Fr. Kevin Mullan, who led those gathered in the saying of the Lord's Prayer, and Pastor Kenny Young, from Castlederg, who recited the hymn, "Where can I turn for Peace".
The act was followed by the laying of wreaths and floral tributes in the garden, led by the bereaved, the chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Allan Rainey, Mr. Joseph Doherty, Buncrana Urban District Council and Mr. Peter Kennedy, Donegal County Council. There was also a tribute from Paula Helguero on behalf of the people of Spain.
Other wreaths were laid by the emergency services, voluntary organisations and businesses, as well as individuals.
Poignant messages were many. Among them were the following: "When sorrow comes in summer days, Roses bloom in vain", and "We think of you often and share in the pain, We must not let your sacrifice to have been in vain".
"TOGETHER, may you who have the awful role of playing host to this atrocity, and we whose friends from Madrid and sons were among the visitors that fateful day, show to the world that love is more powerful than hate."
The balm-like words came from a visitor to Omagh, Fr. Shane Bradley, from St. Mary's Parish Church, Buncrana. They were specially chosen to comfort those still reeling from the sudden loss of family and friends inflicted by the Market Street bombing.
In the minutes before the vigil at 3pm on Saturday, the first and smaller of the two acts of remembrance in the town at the weekend, took place. Shop shutters had been pulled, a crowd of up to 2,000 people had gathered in support and remembrance, and traffic had come to a standstill.
Silence descended as the church bells began to toll, calling minds back to the same time on the same Saturday last year. At that moment the laughter and chatter of families, and soft words shared by friends, adults, children and visitors, had been replaced by screams of pain and anguish, sirens and cries for help.
The pock-marked surface of Market Street gathered rainwater in small pools, which was mingled with the tears of those who wept for their loss.
Immediately prior to a minute's silence, teenage survivor, Clare Gallagher, flanked by friends, slipped into the temporary garden of remembrance, occupying the site where once a public house had stood, to leave a bouquet and pay tribute to the dead.
The invitation to observe a minutes silence came from Mr. John McKinney, chief executive of Omagh District Council, and during it many wept openly. It was followed by words of thanks, hope and comfort. Among them were those of Fr. Bradley.
"To the people of Omagh on behalf of those most effected by our shared tragedy living in Buncrana, we remember," he said.
"We remember our loved ones who died with a sense of shared grief and despair.
"The pain of your bereaved families and all the scarred, both physically and emotionally. Our families also know the emptiness, the loss, the loneliness.
Emotions
"They, too, have felt the confusion of emotions anger, guilt, fear, and the despair as they live day by day with the deaths of the ones they loved.
"We remember with a sense of heartfelt gratitude your kindness, care and love, expressed in the sensitive manner of all the nurses, doctors, social carers, clergy, army, police and countless others when carrying out your most difficult of tasks in the Leisure Centre that night, in the temporary mortuary, Chapel of Rest, in your hospitals and in every encounter since," he said.
Fr. Bradley continued: "We remember with a sincere sense of admiration, the courage and leadership many of you have shown as you strive to be creative after such destruction, in offering healing after such hurt and injuries, and in constantly reaching out with love in the most trying of circumstances.
"We remember with inspiration the hope that you have held onto. The belief you have in life and all it offers in the face of death and destruction. And you have kept alive the light of faith amid the darkness of despair.
"We remember you, the people who share the suffering of that bomb, and you, the people who are with us in your and our darkest hour. We can never forget.
"Together, may you who have the awful role of playing host to this atrocity, and we whose friends from Madrid and sons were among the visitors that fateful day, show to the world that love is more powerful than hate.
"That what unites us is deeper and longer-lasting that what divides us, and life can be found after death. We remember you always. Please remember us," Fr. Bradley said.
The minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Rev. Robert Herron, who had played an important behind-the-scenes role with other clergy in organising the weekend's events, also spoke.
"In our street blood and water flowed. Silence shouts to those with ears to hear: 'Hey you, who still have breath, who have not had to drink this cup of wrath, look hard upon death and let those few-wrecked buildings keep now the silenced voices of our people," he said.
"Years had their endings then, as tills no more ring out. Hold broken shops our words in your dust, and you who go your way through our town with wounds within that call you back, come, stand, pray.
"We have gone, our blood has done its work. You must go on, press on into life," he said.
Also taking part in the short act of remembrance were Fr. Kevin Mullan, who led those gathered in the saying of the Lord's Prayer, and Pastor Kenny Young, from Castlederg, who recited the hymn, "Where can I turn for Peace".
The act was followed by the laying of wreaths and floral tributes in the garden, led by the bereaved, the chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Allan Rainey, Mr. Joseph Doherty, Buncrana Urban District Council and Mr. Peter Kennedy, Donegal County Council. There was also a tribute from Paula Helguero on behalf of the people of Spain.
Other wreaths were laid by the emergency services, voluntary organisations and businesses, as well as individuals.
Poignant messages were many. Among them were the following: "When sorrow comes in summer days, Roses bloom in vain", and "We think of you often and share in the pain, We must not let your sacrifice to have been in vain".
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0731
Published Date: 19-Aug-99
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