OMAGH LIGHTS MILLENNIUM FLAME OF HOPE
Omagh lights millennium flame of hope as Corrs launch celebration in style
A MESSAGE of hope and peace went out from Omagh across the entire United Kingdom on Friday night, with the lighting of the Millennium Beacon - a symbol of the aspiration for a brighter and better future.
In a spectacular never witnessed in Omagh before, thousands flocked to Omagh Showgrounds for the free Corrs concert, which marked the launch of the UK Millennium Festival.
A total of 30,000 tickets had been distributed for the event, which also featured local stars Dominic Kirwan, Tom Sweeney and Arty McGlynn.
But while the rain may have deterred some people, it failed to 'drench' the enthusiasm of the vast majority who availed of their tickets and turned up on the night.
As the Showgrounds rocked to a mix of country, pop and Irish music emanating from the huge stage, it was sometimes hard to remember that you were actually still in Omagh, and not at one of the usual venues for such an extravaganza, like Slane or the RDS in Dublin.
As 5.30pm approached, roads into the town came to a virtual standstill, as people made their way on foot, or in the specially-laid on buses, to the grounds.
The event proper got underway at 7pm with the Omagh Community Youth Choir giving a rendition of a number of songs, followed by pupils from Dervaghroy Primary School.
With television presenter Eamon Holmes as compere, the entertainment continued with Dominic Kirwan, Tom Sweeney and Arty McGlynn, warming the crowd up in style for the main attraction later in the evening.
Laser
As darkness fell, the sky was lit up by a huge white laser light which panned over the entire town, giving the event an even more surreal feel.
Following a 'thundering' performance by Different Drums of Ireland, the official launch ceremony of the Millennium Festival was heralded by the beating of the ESB Millennium Drum of Ireland, which is one of the features of the millennium celebrations in the Republic.
The huge drum, which is 16 feet in diameter, represents the two traditions in Ireland, with the bodhran on one side, and the Lambeg drum on the other.
Over the next few months, it will be taken to festivals all over Ireland, including Belfast.
While Different Drums completed their set, comprising an eclectic mix of the two cultures in Ireland, the Millennium Drum was slowly rotated.
As it faced the crowd, a drummer, who had been lying on the drum itself, jumped off and began beating it, to the rapturous applause of the audience.
Eamon Holmes then introduced the dignitaries who were to perform the official launch of the Millennium Festival and the lighting of the beacon.
Addressing the throng, the chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Allan Rainey, said that, since last year's atrocity, Omagh had never been far from the headlines.
"Now we have the opportunity to portray a more positive image of our town and district," he said.
Thanking the Northern Ireland Millennium Company for choosing Omagh as the launch pad for the millennium activities, he said it was a source of "great personal joy" to be involved in the proceedings.
Dr. Aideen McGinley, chairman of the Northern Ireland Millennium Company, said when the committee had met for the first time 18 months ago it had been determined to make sure the rest of the UK saw "what Northern Ireland was all about".
"I think we have done that tonight," she said.
The Secretary of State read out a message to the crowd from the Prime Minister, where he said he was sorry he could not be there.
Powerful
His message went on: "I can think of no more fitting way to launch the UK Millennium Festival celebrations than for your powerful message of hope and determination to issue from Omagh and Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK and further afield.
"Your commitment to peace is the best possible legacy you can leave to both present and future generations. My thoughts and prayers are with you."
Dr. Mowlam said the millennium was about the next generation.
"You are that next generation. You are the millennium generation," she said.
She said that, over the next 16 months, there would be hundreds of events across Northern Ireland to mark the new millennium, to satisfy everybody's tastes.
And she said the Millennium Beacon was an important symbol, adding: "It is a vision for hope, peace and better millennium years."
Before the lighting of the beacon and the release of 2,000 yellow millennium balloons, three young people from the Northern Ireland Millennium Youth Council read out a pledge, outlining their hopes and aspirations for the future.
They said it was up to the youth of Northern Ireland to make their hopes and goals a reality.
"We hope that the new millennium will signal a change in our old attitudes. It is a time to let the world know that we are here, not through the echo of the bullet and the bomb, but through the vibrant sounds of our own laughter and joy," they said.
"Let the new millennium be like an open door - open your mind and walk through."
In keeping with the hopes for the future, the Secretary of State lit the Millennium Beacon with the help of two teenagers from Omagh High School and the Christian Brothers Grammar School, Leanne Martin and Brendan Grimes.
Mr. Seamus Brennan, Chief, Whip in the Dublin government, with responsibility for the Republic's National Millennium Committee, was among those who witnessed the ceremony.
Lights were then taken from the huge flame and given to 22 civic representatives from 'first' cities all over the UK. These were to be brought back in specially-crafted miners' lamps to light each city's own beacon on December 31.
And a group of young people from all over the world also lit torches from the flame, to be brought to a number of towns across Northern Ireland the following day for a series of other celebrations.
They ran through the crowds and out of the Showgrounds, symbolising the carrying of the light of the new millennium through Omagh and out to the rest of the world.
With the formalities out of the way, the thousands of rain-drenched revellers finally got what they had been waiting for.
To tumultuous cheers and screams, Andrea, Sharon, Caroline and Jim Corr took to the stage. For the next hour the crowd were entertained to the chart-topping Dundalk group's hits, in what was the second largest outdoor gig in Northern Ireland since U2 played Botanic Gardens in Belfast in 1997.
The familiar sounds of the chart successes 'Runaway', 'Dreams', 'I never loved you anyway' and 'What can I do' were mingled with so far unreleased tracks, 'Talking on Corners' and 'Queen of Hollywood'.
Young and old alike openly danced where they had space to foot tapping reels and the music of the tin whistle and violin.
Encores
The band played two encores, one of which being the hugely popular, 'So Young', before leaving the stage, and an ecstatic audience, at 11.10pm.
Speaking backstage before the concert, The Corrs said they were delighted to be in Omagh.
Dressed in a long, shimmering purple dress, Sharon, who plays violin, said: "We jumped at the chance to come here. This is a great way to kick off the Millennium. We have had an association with Omagh before, and have met so many people. It is very special to us.
"I think the people will be happy to have us here tonight, and hopefully they will enjoy it. This is a new beginning for Omagh, and the millennium is something to look forward to."
Commenting afterwards on the success of the event, Dr. McGinley said: "The Corrs put our Millennium Festival launch into their hectic international schedule and gave us such a memorable free concert for the people of Omagh and Northern Ireland. It was a very special and unique start to 16 festival months."
She went on: "The Millennium Festival aims to generate a renewed sense of pride, trust and confidence which will make a lasting impact on the people of Northern Ireland."
A MESSAGE of hope and peace went out from Omagh across the entire United Kingdom on Friday night, with the lighting of the Millennium Beacon - a symbol of the aspiration for a brighter and better future.
In a spectacular never witnessed in Omagh before, thousands flocked to Omagh Showgrounds for the free Corrs concert, which marked the launch of the UK Millennium Festival.
A total of 30,000 tickets had been distributed for the event, which also featured local stars Dominic Kirwan, Tom Sweeney and Arty McGlynn.
But while the rain may have deterred some people, it failed to 'drench' the enthusiasm of the vast majority who availed of their tickets and turned up on the night.
As the Showgrounds rocked to a mix of country, pop and Irish music emanating from the huge stage, it was sometimes hard to remember that you were actually still in Omagh, and not at one of the usual venues for such an extravaganza, like Slane or the RDS in Dublin.
As 5.30pm approached, roads into the town came to a virtual standstill, as people made their way on foot, or in the specially-laid on buses, to the grounds.
The event proper got underway at 7pm with the Omagh Community Youth Choir giving a rendition of a number of songs, followed by pupils from Dervaghroy Primary School.
With television presenter Eamon Holmes as compere, the entertainment continued with Dominic Kirwan, Tom Sweeney and Arty McGlynn, warming the crowd up in style for the main attraction later in the evening.
Laser
As darkness fell, the sky was lit up by a huge white laser light which panned over the entire town, giving the event an even more surreal feel.
Following a 'thundering' performance by Different Drums of Ireland, the official launch ceremony of the Millennium Festival was heralded by the beating of the ESB Millennium Drum of Ireland, which is one of the features of the millennium celebrations in the Republic.
The huge drum, which is 16 feet in diameter, represents the two traditions in Ireland, with the bodhran on one side, and the Lambeg drum on the other.
Over the next few months, it will be taken to festivals all over Ireland, including Belfast.
While Different Drums completed their set, comprising an eclectic mix of the two cultures in Ireland, the Millennium Drum was slowly rotated.
As it faced the crowd, a drummer, who had been lying on the drum itself, jumped off and began beating it, to the rapturous applause of the audience.
Eamon Holmes then introduced the dignitaries who were to perform the official launch of the Millennium Festival and the lighting of the beacon.
Addressing the throng, the chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Allan Rainey, said that, since last year's atrocity, Omagh had never been far from the headlines.
"Now we have the opportunity to portray a more positive image of our town and district," he said.
Thanking the Northern Ireland Millennium Company for choosing Omagh as the launch pad for the millennium activities, he said it was a source of "great personal joy" to be involved in the proceedings.
Dr. Aideen McGinley, chairman of the Northern Ireland Millennium Company, said when the committee had met for the first time 18 months ago it had been determined to make sure the rest of the UK saw "what Northern Ireland was all about".
"I think we have done that tonight," she said.
The Secretary of State read out a message to the crowd from the Prime Minister, where he said he was sorry he could not be there.
Powerful
His message went on: "I can think of no more fitting way to launch the UK Millennium Festival celebrations than for your powerful message of hope and determination to issue from Omagh and Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK and further afield.
"Your commitment to peace is the best possible legacy you can leave to both present and future generations. My thoughts and prayers are with you."
Dr. Mowlam said the millennium was about the next generation.
"You are that next generation. You are the millennium generation," she said.
She said that, over the next 16 months, there would be hundreds of events across Northern Ireland to mark the new millennium, to satisfy everybody's tastes.
And she said the Millennium Beacon was an important symbol, adding: "It is a vision for hope, peace and better millennium years."
Before the lighting of the beacon and the release of 2,000 yellow millennium balloons, three young people from the Northern Ireland Millennium Youth Council read out a pledge, outlining their hopes and aspirations for the future.
They said it was up to the youth of Northern Ireland to make their hopes and goals a reality.
"We hope that the new millennium will signal a change in our old attitudes. It is a time to let the world know that we are here, not through the echo of the bullet and the bomb, but through the vibrant sounds of our own laughter and joy," they said.
"Let the new millennium be like an open door - open your mind and walk through."
In keeping with the hopes for the future, the Secretary of State lit the Millennium Beacon with the help of two teenagers from Omagh High School and the Christian Brothers Grammar School, Leanne Martin and Brendan Grimes.
Mr. Seamus Brennan, Chief, Whip in the Dublin government, with responsibility for the Republic's National Millennium Committee, was among those who witnessed the ceremony.
Lights were then taken from the huge flame and given to 22 civic representatives from 'first' cities all over the UK. These were to be brought back in specially-crafted miners' lamps to light each city's own beacon on December 31.
And a group of young people from all over the world also lit torches from the flame, to be brought to a number of towns across Northern Ireland the following day for a series of other celebrations.
They ran through the crowds and out of the Showgrounds, symbolising the carrying of the light of the new millennium through Omagh and out to the rest of the world.
With the formalities out of the way, the thousands of rain-drenched revellers finally got what they had been waiting for.
To tumultuous cheers and screams, Andrea, Sharon, Caroline and Jim Corr took to the stage. For the next hour the crowd were entertained to the chart-topping Dundalk group's hits, in what was the second largest outdoor gig in Northern Ireland since U2 played Botanic Gardens in Belfast in 1997.
The familiar sounds of the chart successes 'Runaway', 'Dreams', 'I never loved you anyway' and 'What can I do' were mingled with so far unreleased tracks, 'Talking on Corners' and 'Queen of Hollywood'.
Young and old alike openly danced where they had space to foot tapping reels and the music of the tin whistle and violin.
Encores
The band played two encores, one of which being the hugely popular, 'So Young', before leaving the stage, and an ecstatic audience, at 11.10pm.
Speaking backstage before the concert, The Corrs said they were delighted to be in Omagh.
Dressed in a long, shimmering purple dress, Sharon, who plays violin, said: "We jumped at the chance to come here. This is a great way to kick off the Millennium. We have had an association with Omagh before, and have met so many people. It is very special to us.
"I think the people will be happy to have us here tonight, and hopefully they will enjoy it. This is a new beginning for Omagh, and the millennium is something to look forward to."
Commenting afterwards on the success of the event, Dr. McGinley said: "The Corrs put our Millennium Festival launch into their hectic international schedule and gave us such a memorable free concert for the people of Omagh and Northern Ireland. It was a very special and unique start to 16 festival months."
She went on: "The Millennium Festival aims to generate a renewed sense of pride, trust and confidence which will make a lasting impact on the people of Northern Ireland."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1397
Published Date: 09-Sep-99
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