GORTIN WOMAN HAS LUCKY ESCAPE IN LONDON BLASTS
Gortin women has lucky escape in London blasts
Horror of Omagh bomb revived in terror attacks
By Anita Mullan
A GORTIN woman who lives and works in London, and narrowly missed being caught up in the terror attacks which ripped through the city last Thursday, has described how news of the multiple blasts brought back memories of the 1998 Omagh bombing.
London is beginning to get back to normal after the bombs, thought to be the work of terror group Al-Qaeda, tore apart underground train carriages and a double decker bus, killing more than 50 people. However, Orla McSherry, a London-based lawyer who hails from Gortin, says that many Omagh natives are struggling to come to terms with the memories which last Thursday's bombings revived.
She said: "When I heard about the bombs it brought back memories of the bomb in Omagh and how traumatized everyone was for months even years after it.
"Everyone was affected by the Omagh bombing because the town is so small compared to London, but the enormity of what happened has still to sink in with many Londoners."
The Gortin lawyer knows just how lucky she was last Thursday morning as the number 30 bus, which was blown up, passes by her house. If the bomb had went off any earlier, Orla may not have been so lucky, as the number 30 shares a bus stop with the bus which she normally gets to work.
Orla, who is a partner in a law firm in central London - near Tavistock Square where the bus exploded - was interviewing people for a job when she first heard about what had happened.
"The first I heard about the bombings was when a trainee came into my office and said that a summer scheme student had arrived covered in soot and dust from an underground train which had exploded in front of her," she said.
Orla and her family had another brush with tragedy when her sister's boyfriend also witnessed an underground carriage blowing up in front of him.
"My sister's boyfriend came close to being injured or even killed when a carriage of the train in front of him also exploded, he's lucky to be alive," she explained.
Despite the atrocity, Orla believes that the people of London are coping well with what happened and they will try to return to normality as quickly as possible.
"What was really strange about Thursday was that all the pubs and restaurants were full, everyone wanted out of their houses and to talk about what had happened.
"This is were the real difference between Omagh and London becomes apparent. In a city as big as London, with 8 million people, not everyone is affected by the bombings, but in Omagh everyone knew someone who was either killed or injured.
"After 9/11 an attack on London was to be expected so everyone knew that it was going to happen someday, the only question was when.
"Because the attack was expected people had braced themselves for it which has made it a lot easier for people to cope with the aftermath. Thankfully though it wasn't as big as 9/11," she added.
Horror of Omagh bomb revived in terror attacks
By Anita Mullan
A GORTIN woman who lives and works in London, and narrowly missed being caught up in the terror attacks which ripped through the city last Thursday, has described how news of the multiple blasts brought back memories of the 1998 Omagh bombing.
London is beginning to get back to normal after the bombs, thought to be the work of terror group Al-Qaeda, tore apart underground train carriages and a double decker bus, killing more than 50 people. However, Orla McSherry, a London-based lawyer who hails from Gortin, says that many Omagh natives are struggling to come to terms with the memories which last Thursday's bombings revived.
She said: "When I heard about the bombs it brought back memories of the bomb in Omagh and how traumatized everyone was for months even years after it.
"Everyone was affected by the Omagh bombing because the town is so small compared to London, but the enormity of what happened has still to sink in with many Londoners."
The Gortin lawyer knows just how lucky she was last Thursday morning as the number 30 bus, which was blown up, passes by her house. If the bomb had went off any earlier, Orla may not have been so lucky, as the number 30 shares a bus stop with the bus which she normally gets to work.
Orla, who is a partner in a law firm in central London - near Tavistock Square where the bus exploded - was interviewing people for a job when she first heard about what had happened.
"The first I heard about the bombings was when a trainee came into my office and said that a summer scheme student had arrived covered in soot and dust from an underground train which had exploded in front of her," she said.
Orla and her family had another brush with tragedy when her sister's boyfriend also witnessed an underground carriage blowing up in front of him.
"My sister's boyfriend came close to being injured or even killed when a carriage of the train in front of him also exploded, he's lucky to be alive," she explained.
Despite the atrocity, Orla believes that the people of London are coping well with what happened and they will try to return to normality as quickly as possible.
"What was really strange about Thursday was that all the pubs and restaurants were full, everyone wanted out of their houses and to talk about what had happened.
"This is were the real difference between Omagh and London becomes apparent. In a city as big as London, with 8 million people, not everyone is affected by the bombings, but in Omagh everyone knew someone who was either killed or injured.
"After 9/11 an attack on London was to be expected so everyone knew that it was going to happen someday, the only question was when.
"Because the attack was expected people had braced themselves for it which has made it a lot easier for people to cope with the aftermath. Thankfully though it wasn't as big as 9/11," she added.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1794
Published Date: 14-Jul-05
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