FAR TOO SOON FOR FILM ON OMAGH TRAGEDY
Far too soon for film on Omagh tragedy'
Sir,
I don't think that too many of the relatives of the Omagh bomb victims are ready to cope yet with a controversial movie dealing with their plight, on the same scale as the recent Bloody Sunday film.
In my honest opinion, the people of the town and far beyond, are still far too close to the date of the outrage. After all, it was over 30 years since the shooting in Londonderry and very much longer before there was any thought of making films about the sinking of the Titanic.
I also feel that the Ulster actor who portrayed the Civil Rights leader should not be chosen again to play the role of the parent who lost his son in the tragedy and perhaps the best known Omagh face on television, since August 15, 1998.
One might very well ask why there has been such undue haste to write a film script before the latest investigations have been completed. It would also be good to know if many of the still grieving relatives and police chiefs were ever consulted before the decision was taken to make a film about the Omagh atrocity.
Personally, I was never in favour of calling for a public inquiry as I felt it would be an expensive undertaking, just like the Bloody Sunday affair. There would be no guarantee of the bombers ever being brought to book and it would do little to relieve the trauma for relatives.
Raking over the events of Bloody Saturday in Omagh by various characters in a film would, in my opinion, be almost another form of public inquiry.
One is bound to ask finally if there isn't an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda behind the making of this film.
Yours,
W. Breen, Omagh.
Sir,
I don't think that too many of the relatives of the Omagh bomb victims are ready to cope yet with a controversial movie dealing with their plight, on the same scale as the recent Bloody Sunday film.
In my honest opinion, the people of the town and far beyond, are still far too close to the date of the outrage. After all, it was over 30 years since the shooting in Londonderry and very much longer before there was any thought of making films about the sinking of the Titanic.
I also feel that the Ulster actor who portrayed the Civil Rights leader should not be chosen again to play the role of the parent who lost his son in the tragedy and perhaps the best known Omagh face on television, since August 15, 1998.
One might very well ask why there has been such undue haste to write a film script before the latest investigations have been completed. It would also be good to know if many of the still grieving relatives and police chiefs were ever consulted before the decision was taken to make a film about the Omagh atrocity.
Personally, I was never in favour of calling for a public inquiry as I felt it would be an expensive undertaking, just like the Bloody Sunday affair. There would be no guarantee of the bombers ever being brought to book and it would do little to relieve the trauma for relatives.
Raking over the events of Bloody Saturday in Omagh by various characters in a film would, in my opinion, be almost another form of public inquiry.
One is bound to ask finally if there isn't an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda behind the making of this film.
Yours,
W. Breen, Omagh.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1041
Published Date: 18-Apr-02
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.