THREE RECEIVE QUEEN'S HONOURS FOR WOKR IN BOMB AFTERMATH
Three receive Queen's honours for work in bomb aftermath
THE FIREFIGHTER who discovered his dead grandaughter's pushchair in the rubble of the Omagh bombing has been awarded an MBE.
Mr Patrick McGillion was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list alongside two others who helped in the immediate aftermath of the Market Street atrocity - Mr David Bolton, Sperrin Lakeland Trust's director of community care, who received the OBE, and Superintendent Maurice Murphy, RUC deputy divisional commander in Enniskillen, who was awarded the Queen's Police Medal.
Commenting on the honour, Mr McGillion said: "It's a nice award to get, but in very sad circumstances. I only did what I had to do. All the top firemen were there on the day and I thought, were there not people more entitled to the award than me? So it's nice to have, but it's hard to think I had to get it this way."
Mr McGillion, who has been sub officer in charge at Newtownstewart Fire Station for 10 years, remained at the bomb site throughout the afternoon of August 15 assisting the injured, despite fearing that members of his family had been hurt.
He knew that some of them had been in town, shopping for the wedding of his son, Garry, to Donna-Marie Keyes, which was planned for the following week.
Sadly, his fears proved correct as his daughter, Mrs.Tracey Devine, son, and son's fianc�e, were critically injured. His baby granddaughter, Breda Devine, an 18-month-old toddler, died in the blast.
The brave fireman described the moment when he made his heartbreaking discovery.
"I did my job, and worked till about 5.10pm, but then I discovered a child's pushchair and I froze. I just had to get to the hospital," he said.
There he quickly located his son and future daughter-in-law. Mrs. Devine was eventually found in a bed opposite her brother's. She had been left unrecognisable by the bomb, and was identified by her distinctive engagement ring.
But baby Breda was still nowhere to be found.
"I began to search for the child. I went to the children's ward where I met a doctor who said they had a child, who was involved in the bomb, and he told me she was dead. I identified her," he said.
Mr McGillion took only 12 weeks off after the bombing before returning to his part-time job at the fire station.
Helpful
"I'm back on duty, and I've found that it has lifted my mind to come back to work. The boys at the fire station have been very helpful to me," he said.
"I joined the service to help the population of this town. Everytime we are called out, I hope it's not another incident like Omagh but you have to respond."
Station Officer, John Langtrey, said Mr McGillion was thoroughly deserving of the MBE.
"He knew members of his immediate family were possibly involved but he stayed on duty to command his crew until their work was finished," he said.
"Like all firefighters that day, the courage he showed in the face of a terrible event, coupled with the uncertainty of not knowing whether his family or friends were safe, made it one of the most difficult instances the brigade has attended.
"It is fitting that Sub Officer McGillion's courage and dedication to duty when tested in the face of the most arduous situations is publicly recognised."
Mr Bolton was awarded the OBE for services to the community.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust's director of community care was present at the town's Leisure Centre on the Saturday evening and Sunday following the Market Street bombing.
He established a trauma team, in association with other voluntary agencies, which offered invaluable counselling and support to the bereaved and injured.
Only last week, Mr Bolton was presented with an Achievement Award from the International Club in Dublin, for helping the Omagh community respond to the trauma of the bombing.
Speaking about the OBE, Mr Bolton said: "The award is tinged with appreciation and sadness. It has been a privilege, and a moving and humbling experience, for myself and my colleagues to be able to help our community at its time of distress. We felt compelled to help in the face of such devastation and suffering."
Mr Bolton said he was full of admiration for the "deeply human and compassionate" way in which local people had responded to the destruction caused by the bomb.
And he said it was sobering to consider that the two principal towns in the Sperrin Lakeland Trust area - Omagh and Enniskillen - had experienced two of the most significant tragedies associated with the Troubles.
Suffered
"On this occasion I am mindful especially of those who have suffered in those tragedies, and of the large number of people in Northern Ireland and beyond who were caught up in the large and small incidents, many of whom feel forgotten about," he said.
"I hope that through the tragedy of Omagh, and as a result of the growing awareness of the needs of those afflicted through violence and the changing political context, ways will now open up for people who have suffered in the past to seek and obtain the help they need."
The news that Mr Bolton had been included in the Birthday Honours List was welcomed by Mr Richard Scott, chairman of Sperrin Lakeland Trust.
"This is an acknowledgement of over 20 years service to the social work profession and his work for the West Tyrone and Fermanagh communities," he said.
Mr Scott continued: "Whilst we recognise the specific association of this award with the Omagh bombing, we all know of David's work with the victims of the Troubles and emergency planning.
"This commitment has developed from his earlier work with families affected by the Enniskillen bomb in 1987 and the Kegworth air disaster. The
experience which David has brought to the response to the Omagh bombing has been greatly appreciated by the Trust board directors and myself."
Superintendent Murphy, a member of the RUC for more than 37 years, was also deeply involved in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing.
"His sympathy, compassion and leadership were much appreciated the police and local people alike," an RUC spokesman said.
After his initial training, Supt. Murphy served in the Fermanagh area, before joining a Special Patrol Group and being promoted to the position of Inspector in 1971.
He served in a number of policing roles, progressing through the ranks to superintendent in 1991 when he was appointed sub-divisional commander in Lisnaskea. He then moved to the firearms branch before transferring to his present post.
And Chief Superintendent Leslie Busby, who spent part of his service in the border regions before being promoted to the position of Sergeant in Omagh, has been awarded the MBE for services to the police force.
He served in a number of head-quarters departments prior to moving as inspector to Musgrave Street and, later, chief inspector in Cookstown. After three years in personnel branch, he was promoted to superintendent and stationed in Dungannon. He now serves in Lisnasharragh.
Chief Supt. Busby helps manage the Children's Programme of Northern Ireland, which brings young people from the Catholic and Protestant traditions together to participate in activities in the USA.
THE FIREFIGHTER who discovered his dead grandaughter's pushchair in the rubble of the Omagh bombing has been awarded an MBE.
Mr Patrick McGillion was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list alongside two others who helped in the immediate aftermath of the Market Street atrocity - Mr David Bolton, Sperrin Lakeland Trust's director of community care, who received the OBE, and Superintendent Maurice Murphy, RUC deputy divisional commander in Enniskillen, who was awarded the Queen's Police Medal.
Commenting on the honour, Mr McGillion said: "It's a nice award to get, but in very sad circumstances. I only did what I had to do. All the top firemen were there on the day and I thought, were there not people more entitled to the award than me? So it's nice to have, but it's hard to think I had to get it this way."
Mr McGillion, who has been sub officer in charge at Newtownstewart Fire Station for 10 years, remained at the bomb site throughout the afternoon of August 15 assisting the injured, despite fearing that members of his family had been hurt.
He knew that some of them had been in town, shopping for the wedding of his son, Garry, to Donna-Marie Keyes, which was planned for the following week.
Sadly, his fears proved correct as his daughter, Mrs.Tracey Devine, son, and son's fianc�e, were critically injured. His baby granddaughter, Breda Devine, an 18-month-old toddler, died in the blast.
The brave fireman described the moment when he made his heartbreaking discovery.
"I did my job, and worked till about 5.10pm, but then I discovered a child's pushchair and I froze. I just had to get to the hospital," he said.
There he quickly located his son and future daughter-in-law. Mrs. Devine was eventually found in a bed opposite her brother's. She had been left unrecognisable by the bomb, and was identified by her distinctive engagement ring.
But baby Breda was still nowhere to be found.
"I began to search for the child. I went to the children's ward where I met a doctor who said they had a child, who was involved in the bomb, and he told me she was dead. I identified her," he said.
Mr McGillion took only 12 weeks off after the bombing before returning to his part-time job at the fire station.
Helpful
"I'm back on duty, and I've found that it has lifted my mind to come back to work. The boys at the fire station have been very helpful to me," he said.
"I joined the service to help the population of this town. Everytime we are called out, I hope it's not another incident like Omagh but you have to respond."
Station Officer, John Langtrey, said Mr McGillion was thoroughly deserving of the MBE.
"He knew members of his immediate family were possibly involved but he stayed on duty to command his crew until their work was finished," he said.
"Like all firefighters that day, the courage he showed in the face of a terrible event, coupled with the uncertainty of not knowing whether his family or friends were safe, made it one of the most difficult instances the brigade has attended.
"It is fitting that Sub Officer McGillion's courage and dedication to duty when tested in the face of the most arduous situations is publicly recognised."
Mr Bolton was awarded the OBE for services to the community.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust's director of community care was present at the town's Leisure Centre on the Saturday evening and Sunday following the Market Street bombing.
He established a trauma team, in association with other voluntary agencies, which offered invaluable counselling and support to the bereaved and injured.
Only last week, Mr Bolton was presented with an Achievement Award from the International Club in Dublin, for helping the Omagh community respond to the trauma of the bombing.
Speaking about the OBE, Mr Bolton said: "The award is tinged with appreciation and sadness. It has been a privilege, and a moving and humbling experience, for myself and my colleagues to be able to help our community at its time of distress. We felt compelled to help in the face of such devastation and suffering."
Mr Bolton said he was full of admiration for the "deeply human and compassionate" way in which local people had responded to the destruction caused by the bomb.
And he said it was sobering to consider that the two principal towns in the Sperrin Lakeland Trust area - Omagh and Enniskillen - had experienced two of the most significant tragedies associated with the Troubles.
Suffered
"On this occasion I am mindful especially of those who have suffered in those tragedies, and of the large number of people in Northern Ireland and beyond who were caught up in the large and small incidents, many of whom feel forgotten about," he said.
"I hope that through the tragedy of Omagh, and as a result of the growing awareness of the needs of those afflicted through violence and the changing political context, ways will now open up for people who have suffered in the past to seek and obtain the help they need."
The news that Mr Bolton had been included in the Birthday Honours List was welcomed by Mr Richard Scott, chairman of Sperrin Lakeland Trust.
"This is an acknowledgement of over 20 years service to the social work profession and his work for the West Tyrone and Fermanagh communities," he said.
Mr Scott continued: "Whilst we recognise the specific association of this award with the Omagh bombing, we all know of David's work with the victims of the Troubles and emergency planning.
"This commitment has developed from his earlier work with families affected by the Enniskillen bomb in 1987 and the Kegworth air disaster. The
experience which David has brought to the response to the Omagh bombing has been greatly appreciated by the Trust board directors and myself."
Superintendent Murphy, a member of the RUC for more than 37 years, was also deeply involved in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing.
"His sympathy, compassion and leadership were much appreciated the police and local people alike," an RUC spokesman said.
After his initial training, Supt. Murphy served in the Fermanagh area, before joining a Special Patrol Group and being promoted to the position of Inspector in 1971.
He served in a number of policing roles, progressing through the ranks to superintendent in 1991 when he was appointed sub-divisional commander in Lisnaskea. He then moved to the firearms branch before transferring to his present post.
And Chief Superintendent Leslie Busby, who spent part of his service in the border regions before being promoted to the position of Sergeant in Omagh, has been awarded the MBE for services to the police force.
He served in a number of head-quarters departments prior to moving as inspector to Musgrave Street and, later, chief inspector in Cookstown. After three years in personnel branch, he was promoted to superintendent and stationed in Dungannon. He now serves in Lisnasharragh.
Chief Supt. Busby helps manage the Children's Programme of Northern Ireland, which brings young people from the Catholic and Protestant traditions together to participate in activities in the USA.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1363
Published Date: 17-Jun-99
Related Images
