DAFFODIL NAMED AFTER BUSINESS WOMAN WHO DIED
Daffodil named after business women who died
A DAFFODIL bulb has been named after one of the victims of the Omagh bomb atrocity, the inquest heard.
It has been named 'Libbi' in memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Rush, who was known to her friends and family as Libbi.
Mrs. Rush was working in her shop on the afternoon of the explosion.
The inquest heard evidence from Nicholas Samuel Craig of 114 Lisanelly Heights, Omagh, who was one of the last eyewitnesses to see the deceased alive.
Mr Craig described how he had gone in to the El Paso bar in Market Street, Omagh.
The witness told the court how he had just ordered a drink, when the flash from the bomb explosion caught his eye.
He described how, he had gone into Market Street in the immediate aftermath of the bomb.
Mr Craig said that he put his hand over his face to protect himself.
"I looked into Libbi's pine shop and I saw her lying tight against the wall about seven feet from the door. I knew she was dead," he said.
The coroner asked Mr Craig if he had known Mrs. Rush. He replied "yes."
Another witness, Audrey Annette Irwin, told the court she had gone into Omagh on the afternoon of the bomb and had parked her car at Dunnes Stores car park before walking into Market Street.
She told the court that when she reached the corner of Market Street she noticed a large crowd standing there.
"I recognised Geraldine Breslin from Watterson's," she said.
She then went to Nicholl and Shiels and was then told that there was a bomb warning.
She told the court that when she left the shop she noticed Mrs. Elizabeth Rush standing at the door of the pine shop.
She explained that Mrs. Rush was standing at the entrance of the premises looking up the street.
Mr. Michael Mansfield G;C, counsel for the family, asked the witness if it was correct to say that there was no police officer or traffic officer preventing her from entering Market Street.
The witness replied that was correct.
John Colton of O'Kane Park, Omagh described to the court how as he walked along Market Street on the day of the bomb, he had seen Geraldine Breslin standing in front of Carland's newsagents as well as another lady. He told the court that he also saw 'Libbi' Rush standing in front of her shop before the bomb exploded.
Hugh Slevin of 2 Glenwood Crescent, Cookstown, told the court that he had known Mrs. Rush for 26 years.
He described her as a businesswoman and said that he last saw her on Sunday August 9 at around midnight. He described how she had distinguishing marks, one he described as a 3 inch operation scar across her throat and the other he said, was a mole, or a wart below her bottom lip.
Mr Slevin formally positively identified the body of Mrs. Rush to Detective Inspector Colin Milford on Sunday August 16 at 2.30pm.
Description
Inspector Milford noted a description of the deceased from Mr Slevin and noted that her date of birth was 11 February 1941.
The daughter of Mrs. Rush, Mrs. Siobhan O'Neill, told the court that her mother was known as 'Libbi'. She was 57 years of age and had three children, Andrew who was in the USA, Anthony, who was in Belfast and Siobhan, also based in Belfast. Mrs. Rush had been born in Killyclogher, she said. In 1960 she married, at the age of 19.
Mrs. O'Neill explained that her mother had run the shop for 27 years. She said that the premises used to be a coffee shop but in recent times it operated as a gift shop.
She said that her mother ran the premises for the most part, herself.
The bereaved daughter told the court that on Saturday of each week the whole family came to visit.
"My son Malachi (16) was staying with my parents on the day of the explosion," said Mrs. O'Neill.
She described how her mother had busied herself making cushions and soft furnishings, which she then sold in her shop.
Through years of running the coffee shop, she had made great friends she was a good listener for the people who called at the coffee shop.
"She was well known for her discretion and gentle nature," said her daughter.
Dr Carson, deputy state pathologist told the court that Mrs. Rush had died from lacerations of the right lung, liver and diaphragm associated with multiple fractures due to a bomb explosion.
He explained that she had received multiple shrapnel injuries and was facing the explosion at the time of detonation
"Given the severity of the injuries it seems likely that they would have caused rapid death," said Dr Carson.
Mr Michael Mansfield, representing the deceased, asked Dr Carson if her injuries were consistent with facing the street, facing the bomb and being blown back into the shop. The pathologist said they were.
The coroner extended his very deep sympathy to the Rush family. He said that the cause of death was something that the family would live with for many years to come.
Mr Mansfield said Mr. Rush's husband was not present today in court as it was far too painful for him to listen.
"Mrs. Rush took the full impact from this senseless and mindless atrocity, so callously carried out on an unsuspecting and vulnerable population," said Mr Mansfield.
He said that it had caused her family and Laurence Rush in particular, enduring devastation and daily suffering.
"Despite such overwhelming anguish, Mr Rush has strengthened his resolve to continue his wife's commitment to the community in which they have lived and worked for so long, not only as a lasting memorial to her, but also as a singular message of resilience against the forces of violence.
"His abiding hope is that this inquest will provide an opportunity to rejuvenate the quest for justice on behalf of those so brutally denied the fullness of life. Without justice there can be no peace," he concluded.
The Coroner revealed that a daffodil bulb had been named 'Libbi' in memory of the deceased.
"It was a touching tribute,' the coroner said.
A DAFFODIL bulb has been named after one of the victims of the Omagh bomb atrocity, the inquest heard.
It has been named 'Libbi' in memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Rush, who was known to her friends and family as Libbi.
Mrs. Rush was working in her shop on the afternoon of the explosion.
The inquest heard evidence from Nicholas Samuel Craig of 114 Lisanelly Heights, Omagh, who was one of the last eyewitnesses to see the deceased alive.
Mr Craig described how he had gone in to the El Paso bar in Market Street, Omagh.
The witness told the court how he had just ordered a drink, when the flash from the bomb explosion caught his eye.
He described how, he had gone into Market Street in the immediate aftermath of the bomb.
Mr Craig said that he put his hand over his face to protect himself.
"I looked into Libbi's pine shop and I saw her lying tight against the wall about seven feet from the door. I knew she was dead," he said.
The coroner asked Mr Craig if he had known Mrs. Rush. He replied "yes."
Another witness, Audrey Annette Irwin, told the court she had gone into Omagh on the afternoon of the bomb and had parked her car at Dunnes Stores car park before walking into Market Street.
She told the court that when she reached the corner of Market Street she noticed a large crowd standing there.
"I recognised Geraldine Breslin from Watterson's," she said.
She then went to Nicholl and Shiels and was then told that there was a bomb warning.
She told the court that when she left the shop she noticed Mrs. Elizabeth Rush standing at the door of the pine shop.
She explained that Mrs. Rush was standing at the entrance of the premises looking up the street.
Mr. Michael Mansfield G;C, counsel for the family, asked the witness if it was correct to say that there was no police officer or traffic officer preventing her from entering Market Street.
The witness replied that was correct.
John Colton of O'Kane Park, Omagh described to the court how as he walked along Market Street on the day of the bomb, he had seen Geraldine Breslin standing in front of Carland's newsagents as well as another lady. He told the court that he also saw 'Libbi' Rush standing in front of her shop before the bomb exploded.
Hugh Slevin of 2 Glenwood Crescent, Cookstown, told the court that he had known Mrs. Rush for 26 years.
He described her as a businesswoman and said that he last saw her on Sunday August 9 at around midnight. He described how she had distinguishing marks, one he described as a 3 inch operation scar across her throat and the other he said, was a mole, or a wart below her bottom lip.
Mr Slevin formally positively identified the body of Mrs. Rush to Detective Inspector Colin Milford on Sunday August 16 at 2.30pm.
Description
Inspector Milford noted a description of the deceased from Mr Slevin and noted that her date of birth was 11 February 1941.
The daughter of Mrs. Rush, Mrs. Siobhan O'Neill, told the court that her mother was known as 'Libbi'. She was 57 years of age and had three children, Andrew who was in the USA, Anthony, who was in Belfast and Siobhan, also based in Belfast. Mrs. Rush had been born in Killyclogher, she said. In 1960 she married, at the age of 19.
Mrs. O'Neill explained that her mother had run the shop for 27 years. She said that the premises used to be a coffee shop but in recent times it operated as a gift shop.
She said that her mother ran the premises for the most part, herself.
The bereaved daughter told the court that on Saturday of each week the whole family came to visit.
"My son Malachi (16) was staying with my parents on the day of the explosion," said Mrs. O'Neill.
She described how her mother had busied herself making cushions and soft furnishings, which she then sold in her shop.
Through years of running the coffee shop, she had made great friends she was a good listener for the people who called at the coffee shop.
"She was well known for her discretion and gentle nature," said her daughter.
Dr Carson, deputy state pathologist told the court that Mrs. Rush had died from lacerations of the right lung, liver and diaphragm associated with multiple fractures due to a bomb explosion.
He explained that she had received multiple shrapnel injuries and was facing the explosion at the time of detonation
"Given the severity of the injuries it seems likely that they would have caused rapid death," said Dr Carson.
Mr Michael Mansfield, representing the deceased, asked Dr Carson if her injuries were consistent with facing the street, facing the bomb and being blown back into the shop. The pathologist said they were.
The coroner extended his very deep sympathy to the Rush family. He said that the cause of death was something that the family would live with for many years to come.
Mr Mansfield said Mr. Rush's husband was not present today in court as it was far too painful for him to listen.
"Mrs. Rush took the full impact from this senseless and mindless atrocity, so callously carried out on an unsuspecting and vulnerable population," said Mr Mansfield.
He said that it had caused her family and Laurence Rush in particular, enduring devastation and daily suffering.
"Despite such overwhelming anguish, Mr Rush has strengthened his resolve to continue his wife's commitment to the community in which they have lived and worked for so long, not only as a lasting memorial to her, but also as a singular message of resilience against the forces of violence.
"His abiding hope is that this inquest will provide an opportunity to rejuvenate the quest for justice on behalf of those so brutally denied the fullness of life. Without justice there can be no peace," he concluded.
The Coroner revealed that a daffodil bulb had been named 'Libbi' in memory of the deceased.
"It was a touching tribute,' the coroner said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1568
Published Date: 28-Sep-00
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