PRINCE CHARLES HAILS REMARKABLE COMMUNITY
Prince Charles hails 'remarkable community'
THE Prince of Wales hailed Omagh as a "remarkable community" when he made a return visit to the town yesterday (Wednesday).
The Royal visitor, who was in Omagh as part of a two-day tour of the Province, said he was enormously impressed by the work which was being done to regenerate the town following the bomb.
The Prince, who visited the town four days after the blast in August which killed 29 people, said he was determined to come back to Omagh to see how everyone was faring.
"It was often very difficult to find a way to show you care, but I hope my presence demonstrates my concern for the people of Omagh," he said.
He said he had some understanding of what the bereaved were going through, having experienced that himself at the murder of his uncle. Lord Mountbatten.
The Prince said that he had visited Soho, the site of another bomb, on Monday, and said he was sure the people of London would have a lot to learn from the experiences of the people of Omagh.
"I am enormously encouraged by what I have seen and heard here. I am impressed by the work which is being done to bring life back to this remarkable community," he said.
The Prince was greeted at the council offices by the Duke of Abercorn Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone, who presented Miss Angela Colhoun, Sheriff of Tyrone; Mr Allan Rainey, vice-chairman of Omagh District Council; Mr. John McKinney, the council's chief executive; Mr. William Thompson, MP for West Tyrone and his wife, Violet; Mr. John McConnell, co-ordinator of Government services following the bomb; Superintendent James Baxter, sub-divisional commander for the area and Mr. Adam Ingram, Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office.
Stopping to meet well-wishers outside the council offices, the Prince was greeted by three-year-old Chloe Sides, and her grandmother, Margaret, who said she had been waiting for almost two hours to catch a glimpse of the Royal visitor
Moving inside to the committee room, Mr. McKinney presented Mr Michael Duffy, senior social worker, who in turn introduced a number of bereaved families and young people injured in the bomb.
One of those he met was Mrs. Marion Radford, mother of 16-year-old Omagh High School pupil, Alan, who died in the blast.
Speaking afterwards Mrs. Radford said: "I think he genuinely cared about what we have gone through. I found his visit helpful. He was a very nice person. Things have been very difficult. The loss of a child is very painful, and I think he did show concern."
Describing the Prince as a sympathetic listener, Mrs. Radford said it helped to know that he cared enough to come back to Omagh.
In the council chamber the Duke of Abercorn, who is Northern Ireland president of Business in the Community introduced Mr. John Heaslip, chief executive, who in turn presented Sadie Bergin, development manager, Business Education Partnership, and Professor Ken O'Neill, chairman of Young Enterprise.
The Prince then joined a meeting with six pupils from Omagh County Primary School's Junior Achievement Programme, who were discussing their project with their business adviser, Mr. Justin O'Doherty.
The Prince also spent some time chatting to four pupils from Loreto Grammar School, who are also participating in the Young Enterprise Programme. The pupils and their company, 'Ad Astra', were the winning company at the Sperrin Lakeland Young Enterprise trade fair.
In an adjoining room the Prince met a small number of invited guests representing the Omagh Fund, before moving back to the council chamber where McKinney outlined proposals for the redevelopment of the town centre.
The Prince also spoke to the manager of the Omagh Fund, Mr. Brian Oliplhant who said the Prince had congratulated him and the trustees on the work they had undertaken.
"He also asked me what rationale we had adopted for the dispersement of funds he said.
Welcoming the Prince to Omagh, Mr. Rainey said everyone took tremendous encouragement from his visit to the town.
"You have already met with representatives of the bereaved and injured and will be aware of the difficulties that they have endured over the last eight months and indeed continue to face. I am confident, however, that you cannot fail to have been impressed by their resolve and strength of character and also mat your presence here will have provided them with a welcome boost," he said.
Mr. Rainey went on: "The trustees, management and staff of the Omagh Fund, whom you have also met earlier, have responded to their difficult task with great skill and discretion. We have watched, with growing admiration, the way in which they have administered the Fund and I am confident that you will have gleaned from your meeting with Sean O'Dwyer and his fellow trustees, that they are a superb group of dedicated people.
"Looking to the future and, in particular, to the physical regeneration of the town, there are many challenges ahead. While the past can never be forgotten, it is vital however that we forge ahead with the rebuilding of our town and you have learned something today of our very ambitious plans aimed at securing a vibrant and flourishing Omagh," said Mr. Rainey.
"Omagh District Council, as the catalyst and lead authority for the proposed regeneration programme, has taken great inspiration from the positive attitude of both community and the other agencies involved in putting together its regeneration plans," he said.
From the council offices, the Prince of Wales travelled to the bomb site.
There he met senior RUC and Garda detectives involved in the hunt to catch the bombers.
But he also took time to greet the large crowd of well-wishers which had been waiting for over an hour to see him.
Looking tanned and relaxed, the Prince spoke and shook hands with many in the crowd.
They gave him a rousing round of applause as he left to carry on his other duties.
During a round of engagements yesterday the Prince also visited the Belfast Waste Water Treatment Works at Duncrue Street and an organic farm near Straid in Co. Antrim. Afterwards he travelled by helicopter to Broughshane to unveil a plaque on a garden in the centre of the village, before travelling to Omagh.
THE Prince of Wales hailed Omagh as a "remarkable community" when he made a return visit to the town yesterday (Wednesday).
The Royal visitor, who was in Omagh as part of a two-day tour of the Province, said he was enormously impressed by the work which was being done to regenerate the town following the bomb.
The Prince, who visited the town four days after the blast in August which killed 29 people, said he was determined to come back to Omagh to see how everyone was faring.
"It was often very difficult to find a way to show you care, but I hope my presence demonstrates my concern for the people of Omagh," he said.
He said he had some understanding of what the bereaved were going through, having experienced that himself at the murder of his uncle. Lord Mountbatten.
The Prince said that he had visited Soho, the site of another bomb, on Monday, and said he was sure the people of London would have a lot to learn from the experiences of the people of Omagh.
"I am enormously encouraged by what I have seen and heard here. I am impressed by the work which is being done to bring life back to this remarkable community," he said.
The Prince was greeted at the council offices by the Duke of Abercorn Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone, who presented Miss Angela Colhoun, Sheriff of Tyrone; Mr Allan Rainey, vice-chairman of Omagh District Council; Mr. John McKinney, the council's chief executive; Mr. William Thompson, MP for West Tyrone and his wife, Violet; Mr. John McConnell, co-ordinator of Government services following the bomb; Superintendent James Baxter, sub-divisional commander for the area and Mr. Adam Ingram, Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office.
Stopping to meet well-wishers outside the council offices, the Prince was greeted by three-year-old Chloe Sides, and her grandmother, Margaret, who said she had been waiting for almost two hours to catch a glimpse of the Royal visitor
Moving inside to the committee room, Mr. McKinney presented Mr Michael Duffy, senior social worker, who in turn introduced a number of bereaved families and young people injured in the bomb.
One of those he met was Mrs. Marion Radford, mother of 16-year-old Omagh High School pupil, Alan, who died in the blast.
Speaking afterwards Mrs. Radford said: "I think he genuinely cared about what we have gone through. I found his visit helpful. He was a very nice person. Things have been very difficult. The loss of a child is very painful, and I think he did show concern."
Describing the Prince as a sympathetic listener, Mrs. Radford said it helped to know that he cared enough to come back to Omagh.
In the council chamber the Duke of Abercorn, who is Northern Ireland president of Business in the Community introduced Mr. John Heaslip, chief executive, who in turn presented Sadie Bergin, development manager, Business Education Partnership, and Professor Ken O'Neill, chairman of Young Enterprise.
The Prince then joined a meeting with six pupils from Omagh County Primary School's Junior Achievement Programme, who were discussing their project with their business adviser, Mr. Justin O'Doherty.
The Prince also spent some time chatting to four pupils from Loreto Grammar School, who are also participating in the Young Enterprise Programme. The pupils and their company, 'Ad Astra', were the winning company at the Sperrin Lakeland Young Enterprise trade fair.
In an adjoining room the Prince met a small number of invited guests representing the Omagh Fund, before moving back to the council chamber where McKinney outlined proposals for the redevelopment of the town centre.
The Prince also spoke to the manager of the Omagh Fund, Mr. Brian Oliplhant who said the Prince had congratulated him and the trustees on the work they had undertaken.
"He also asked me what rationale we had adopted for the dispersement of funds he said.
Welcoming the Prince to Omagh, Mr. Rainey said everyone took tremendous encouragement from his visit to the town.
"You have already met with representatives of the bereaved and injured and will be aware of the difficulties that they have endured over the last eight months and indeed continue to face. I am confident, however, that you cannot fail to have been impressed by their resolve and strength of character and also mat your presence here will have provided them with a welcome boost," he said.
Mr. Rainey went on: "The trustees, management and staff of the Omagh Fund, whom you have also met earlier, have responded to their difficult task with great skill and discretion. We have watched, with growing admiration, the way in which they have administered the Fund and I am confident that you will have gleaned from your meeting with Sean O'Dwyer and his fellow trustees, that they are a superb group of dedicated people.
"Looking to the future and, in particular, to the physical regeneration of the town, there are many challenges ahead. While the past can never be forgotten, it is vital however that we forge ahead with the rebuilding of our town and you have learned something today of our very ambitious plans aimed at securing a vibrant and flourishing Omagh," said Mr. Rainey.
"Omagh District Council, as the catalyst and lead authority for the proposed regeneration programme, has taken great inspiration from the positive attitude of both community and the other agencies involved in putting together its regeneration plans," he said.
From the council offices, the Prince of Wales travelled to the bomb site.
There he met senior RUC and Garda detectives involved in the hunt to catch the bombers.
But he also took time to greet the large crowd of well-wishers which had been waiting for over an hour to see him.
Looking tanned and relaxed, the Prince spoke and shook hands with many in the crowd.
They gave him a rousing round of applause as he left to carry on his other duties.
During a round of engagements yesterday the Prince also visited the Belfast Waste Water Treatment Works at Duncrue Street and an organic farm near Straid in Co. Antrim. Afterwards he travelled by helicopter to Broughshane to unveil a plaque on a garden in the centre of the village, before travelling to Omagh.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1346
Published Date: 06-May-99
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