OMAGH BOMB VICTIM TO BE REBURIED IN ENGLAND
Omagh bomb victim to be reburied in England
THE grieving mother of a young Omagh bomb victim said a series of killings and punishment beatings sparked her decision to take his remains back to England.
Victor and Donna-Marie Barker have taken the painful decision to exhume the body of their son, James, from a Donegal graveyard and bury him in England.
His body is to be flown to the family's original home in Chertsey, Surrey, where it will finally be laid to rest.
James was just 12 years old when he lost his life to the Real IRA bomb that exploded in Market Street on August 15, 1998.
Mrs Barker said the decision to move back to England before the summer had been sparked by the news of two killings.
She said: "I was in the car one morning not so long ago. I had just returned from England and I was taking the children to school.
"Over the weekend, there had been two killings and people had been shot in the legs. It was terrible. It brought Omagh all back to me.
"I thought Omagh would have been the turning point. I thought that if by taking James's life it would bring peace to this lovely country and to such lovely people, then his death would not have been in vain.
"But hearing the news from that weekend was enough for me. I couldn't take any more. I finally couldn't take any more.
"It was then that we decided it was time to take him home to England where he belongs - to his rightful place," Mrs Barker said.
The family had moved to Donegal 11 months before the bomb attack hoping to give their children a better quality of life and improve their personal safety.
Now they plan to move back to England, where Mr Barker still works through the week as a solicitor.
Recent Real IRA attacks on army bases in Northern Ireland convinced the couple that their children would be safer in England.
Mrs Barker said: "I don't think there will ever be peace in this beautiful country. I don't think these groups really want peace.
"I just feel so sorry for the children who are growing up here. I don't think people realise how awful it is to lose a life, and that of somebody close to them.
"Life is too short. Life is too precious. It is precious and should be cherished.
"James was first into the operating theatre that day. He lived for three-quarters of an hour as the doctors fought to save him. We owe it to him to carry on fighting for justice," she said.
A private service will take place at the cemetary in England which is to be James' final resting place.
Shock
Mrs Barker said: "At the time of the bomb we were in such a state of shock we just went with the flow and we had no control, but we do now.
"It was all too public. I mean I didn't even get a seat and then found myself sitting beside stranger. It wasn't what we wanted.
"We are having a small service at James's prep school in Surrey. We have been offered a plot for him.
"James will be back where he belongs," Mrs Barker said.
Speaking from his legal practice, Mr Barker said: "It's obviously a very personal thing, but it is our intention to do this. My family will be moving back to this country and it makes sense."
Mr Barker has spent the past 18 months trying to gather evidence on those responsible for the atrocity, and even approached the BBC to do a special investigation which would track down and name the killers.
Mrs Barker said: We know who did this to James. We have their names, just like the police have.
"We will never rest, for James's sake, until they are put away for what they did. We owe him that much.
"It doesn't look like anyone will ever be prosecuted for Omagh, but I don't think that they should be allowed to get away with it.
"He was our wonderful boy and it is the least we can do for him," she said.
Her son's remains will be exhumed on Holy Saturday and he will be reburied in a plot which was donated to the family by a religious order of teaching priests.
THE grieving mother of a young Omagh bomb victim said a series of killings and punishment beatings sparked her decision to take his remains back to England.
Victor and Donna-Marie Barker have taken the painful decision to exhume the body of their son, James, from a Donegal graveyard and bury him in England.
His body is to be flown to the family's original home in Chertsey, Surrey, where it will finally be laid to rest.
James was just 12 years old when he lost his life to the Real IRA bomb that exploded in Market Street on August 15, 1998.
Mrs Barker said the decision to move back to England before the summer had been sparked by the news of two killings.
She said: "I was in the car one morning not so long ago. I had just returned from England and I was taking the children to school.
"Over the weekend, there had been two killings and people had been shot in the legs. It was terrible. It brought Omagh all back to me.
"I thought Omagh would have been the turning point. I thought that if by taking James's life it would bring peace to this lovely country and to such lovely people, then his death would not have been in vain.
"But hearing the news from that weekend was enough for me. I couldn't take any more. I finally couldn't take any more.
"It was then that we decided it was time to take him home to England where he belongs - to his rightful place," Mrs Barker said.
The family had moved to Donegal 11 months before the bomb attack hoping to give their children a better quality of life and improve their personal safety.
Now they plan to move back to England, where Mr Barker still works through the week as a solicitor.
Recent Real IRA attacks on army bases in Northern Ireland convinced the couple that their children would be safer in England.
Mrs Barker said: "I don't think there will ever be peace in this beautiful country. I don't think these groups really want peace.
"I just feel so sorry for the children who are growing up here. I don't think people realise how awful it is to lose a life, and that of somebody close to them.
"Life is too short. Life is too precious. It is precious and should be cherished.
"James was first into the operating theatre that day. He lived for three-quarters of an hour as the doctors fought to save him. We owe it to him to carry on fighting for justice," she said.
A private service will take place at the cemetary in England which is to be James' final resting place.
Shock
Mrs Barker said: "At the time of the bomb we were in such a state of shock we just went with the flow and we had no control, but we do now.
"It was all too public. I mean I didn't even get a seat and then found myself sitting beside stranger. It wasn't what we wanted.
"We are having a small service at James's prep school in Surrey. We have been offered a plot for him.
"James will be back where he belongs," Mrs Barker said.
Speaking from his legal practice, Mr Barker said: "It's obviously a very personal thing, but it is our intention to do this. My family will be moving back to this country and it makes sense."
Mr Barker has spent the past 18 months trying to gather evidence on those responsible for the atrocity, and even approached the BBC to do a special investigation which would track down and name the killers.
Mrs Barker said: We know who did this to James. We have their names, just like the police have.
"We will never rest, for James's sake, until they are put away for what they did. We owe him that much.
"It doesn't look like anyone will ever be prosecuted for Omagh, but I don't think that they should be allowed to get away with it.
"He was our wonderful boy and it is the least we can do for him," she said.
Her son's remains will be exhumed on Holy Saturday and he will be reburied in a plot which was donated to the family by a religious order of teaching priests.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1444
Published Date: 13-Apr-00
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.