BOMB BEREAVED VOW TO STAND FIRM OVER MEMORIAL WORDING
Bomb bereaved vow to stand firm over memorial wording
'We will make sure that truth will be told about Omagh'
by Emma Stewart
The families of those killed in the 1998 bomb atrocity have vowed to 'make sure that the truth will be told about Omagh', regardless of the recommendations of the independent facilitation team, set to be revealed to Omagh District Council this evening (Thursday), on the wording for the Omagh bomb memorial.
Awaiting the revelation of the panel's findings, bereaved Omagh father and chairman of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, Michael Gallagher, remains exasperated by debate over the wording on the existing eight-year-old memorial, recently removed ahead of renovation work.
Disappointed that the families' chosen wording concerning the August 15 tragedy, which included the phrase 'by a dissident republican terrorist car bomb', continues to be called into question, he regards the facilitation team's endeavours as 'pointless'.
"The whole process was totally unnecessary - the debate arose over a disagreement between the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group and certain members of the Omagh Memorial Working Group. There was simply no need for this - it would have been better if they had left in place the stone that had been there for the past eight years."
He continued: "There was no need for an expensive facilitation process. Those differences that arose could have been ironed out quite easily by allowing the original stone to return to the garden after the renovation.
"No matter how other people dance around the wording, we will make sure that the truth will be told about Omagh".
Now as the Rev Dr John Dunlop, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Brian Lennon, Jesuit priest and founder member of the Interchurch Group on Faith and Politics, and Olive Hobson, a peace-builder at Quaker House, Belfast, prepare to reveal their findings, Omagh families remain resolute in their determination to have the 'truth' told.
The independent facilitation team began its work in October of last year, vowing to take on board all those views surrounding the memorial issue, and to make a clear, concise recommendation to Omagh District Council on narrative and its location.
The development works on the new memorial garden began in recent weeks, following the removal of personal items, and the existing memorial stone.
Omagh District Council has underlined that the ultimate decision on the future of the temporary memorial stone will be taken in the context of the findings and recommendations of the independent facilitation team.
The new memorial garden will be opened in time for the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb on August 15, 2008.
'We will make sure that truth will be told about Omagh'
by Emma Stewart
The families of those killed in the 1998 bomb atrocity have vowed to 'make sure that the truth will be told about Omagh', regardless of the recommendations of the independent facilitation team, set to be revealed to Omagh District Council this evening (Thursday), on the wording for the Omagh bomb memorial.
Awaiting the revelation of the panel's findings, bereaved Omagh father and chairman of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, Michael Gallagher, remains exasperated by debate over the wording on the existing eight-year-old memorial, recently removed ahead of renovation work.
Disappointed that the families' chosen wording concerning the August 15 tragedy, which included the phrase 'by a dissident republican terrorist car bomb', continues to be called into question, he regards the facilitation team's endeavours as 'pointless'.
"The whole process was totally unnecessary - the debate arose over a disagreement between the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group and certain members of the Omagh Memorial Working Group. There was simply no need for this - it would have been better if they had left in place the stone that had been there for the past eight years."
He continued: "There was no need for an expensive facilitation process. Those differences that arose could have been ironed out quite easily by allowing the original stone to return to the garden after the renovation.
"No matter how other people dance around the wording, we will make sure that the truth will be told about Omagh".
Now as the Rev Dr John Dunlop, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Brian Lennon, Jesuit priest and founder member of the Interchurch Group on Faith and Politics, and Olive Hobson, a peace-builder at Quaker House, Belfast, prepare to reveal their findings, Omagh families remain resolute in their determination to have the 'truth' told.
The independent facilitation team began its work in October of last year, vowing to take on board all those views surrounding the memorial issue, and to make a clear, concise recommendation to Omagh District Council on narrative and its location.
The development works on the new memorial garden began in recent weeks, following the removal of personal items, and the existing memorial stone.
Omagh District Council has underlined that the ultimate decision on the future of the temporary memorial stone will be taken in the context of the findings and recommendations of the independent facilitation team.
The new memorial garden will be opened in time for the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb on August 15, 2008.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1922
Published Date: 06-Mar-08
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