I WANTED TO SHOW THE WORLD THIS IS WHAT A BOMB DOES VIDEO MAKER
I wanted to show the world this is what a bomb does' - video maker
The Omagh bomb blast on August 15 1998 changed the lives of a huge number of people.
Of course there were those who lost loved ones or suffered physical injuries, but those who were on the scene afterwards have also felt its effects.
One of those was Fintona man Pat McElhatton, who had wandered into town on that Saturday afternoon with a video camera with the intention of making a recording of a cyclist from the Fintona Cycling Club who had an injury to his leg.
When the bomb exploded he had the video camera in his hand, so he decided to use it in an effort to show the whole world what happened to the people of Omagh.
His video tape was surrendered to help the police with their enquiries. Although Mr McElhatton was not called as a witness to the inquest, the pictures he took that fateful day re-emerged as video evidence in the coroner's court this week.
He told the Tyrone Constitution this week that instinct just spurred him to make the film.
"A couple of days later I felt sad, I didn't know whether I was doing right or wrong," he said.
He drew some small consolation from the words of one police officer who said that he had done something very important in recording the aftermath.
The Fintona man said that he recorded what he saw, and after five to six minutes a lot of people came on the scene.
"I wanted to show the world this is what a bomb does," he said.
"I'm not blaming anyone," added Mr McElhatton.
"But what does it solve?" he asked out loud.
"It's a terrible ordeal," said the quiet Fintona Man.
He said that the atrocity had left families broken and said that some families would never be the same again.
Mr McElhatton revealed that he still finds it difficult to go back into Market Street.
"People have their own ways of coping but I can't forget it," he said.
Nightmares
He said that he has been plagued by nightmares and has found it difficult to cope at times.
"Two years is a right while, but it still comes back. The dreams are almost real," he said.
He recalled that after the bomb he took people to Enniskillen to the hospital, including his sister-in-law who had a head injury and some other workers who needed stitches.
"It's a fairly close knit community, you always know someone, even if you didn't know the individuals who died, you would still know of their families," he pointed out.
Since the bomb Mr McElhatton said that he has thrown himself into the world of cycling. That is what has kept him going, he said. There were times when he had no interest in things, but the interest in the local Fintona Cycling Club just kept him going.
Although he kept fairly quiet about the video he had recorded, he said that since it became public knowledge, friends and people in the community had been supportive towards him.
Mr McElhatton has also seen the video taped by an Australian man.
Mr McElhatton has always loved his sport. He is a private and quiet family man who prides himself on the fact that he doesn't smoke and he never spent much time in the pubs.
His main concern is promoting the sport of cycling and he is currently involved in trying to set up a BMX bike track in Fintona so that the youngsters can learn to ride in safe conditions.
The Omagh bomb blast on August 15 1998 changed the lives of a huge number of people.
Of course there were those who lost loved ones or suffered physical injuries, but those who were on the scene afterwards have also felt its effects.
One of those was Fintona man Pat McElhatton, who had wandered into town on that Saturday afternoon with a video camera with the intention of making a recording of a cyclist from the Fintona Cycling Club who had an injury to his leg.
When the bomb exploded he had the video camera in his hand, so he decided to use it in an effort to show the whole world what happened to the people of Omagh.
His video tape was surrendered to help the police with their enquiries. Although Mr McElhatton was not called as a witness to the inquest, the pictures he took that fateful day re-emerged as video evidence in the coroner's court this week.
He told the Tyrone Constitution this week that instinct just spurred him to make the film.
"A couple of days later I felt sad, I didn't know whether I was doing right or wrong," he said.
He drew some small consolation from the words of one police officer who said that he had done something very important in recording the aftermath.
The Fintona man said that he recorded what he saw, and after five to six minutes a lot of people came on the scene.
"I wanted to show the world this is what a bomb does," he said.
"I'm not blaming anyone," added Mr McElhatton.
"But what does it solve?" he asked out loud.
"It's a terrible ordeal," said the quiet Fintona Man.
He said that the atrocity had left families broken and said that some families would never be the same again.
Mr McElhatton revealed that he still finds it difficult to go back into Market Street.
"People have their own ways of coping but I can't forget it," he said.
Nightmares
He said that he has been plagued by nightmares and has found it difficult to cope at times.
"Two years is a right while, but it still comes back. The dreams are almost real," he said.
He recalled that after the bomb he took people to Enniskillen to the hospital, including his sister-in-law who had a head injury and some other workers who needed stitches.
"It's a fairly close knit community, you always know someone, even if you didn't know the individuals who died, you would still know of their families," he pointed out.
Since the bomb Mr McElhatton said that he has thrown himself into the world of cycling. That is what has kept him going, he said. There were times when he had no interest in things, but the interest in the local Fintona Cycling Club just kept him going.
Although he kept fairly quiet about the video he had recorded, he said that since it became public knowledge, friends and people in the community had been supportive towards him.
Mr McElhatton has also seen the video taped by an Australian man.
Mr McElhatton has always loved his sport. He is a private and quiet family man who prides himself on the fact that he doesn't smoke and he never spent much time in the pubs.
His main concern is promoting the sport of cycling and he is currently involved in trying to set up a BMX bike track in Fintona so that the youngsters can learn to ride in safe conditions.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1529
Published Date: 14-Sep-00
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