2008 - A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS AND COMMEMORATIONS
2008 - A year of celebrations and commemorations
A year of highs and lows, sunny spells and icy blasts, 2008 brought celebrations and commemorations across the district.
Looking over 12 months of news, Omagh has welcomed investment, celebrated sporting success and marked the tenth anniversary of the town's greatest tragedy - the August 15 bombing of 1998. In 2008 agreement was reached over the Omagh bomb memorial narrative, and the 'Garden of Light' was developed in time for both a civic and family-led commemoration at which national media turned out in force.
2008 saw some of the families of those killed in the 1998 Omagh bomb begin their civil action against those they suspect of carrying out the brutal car bomb attack.
It was also this year that the BBC's Panorama revealed that the UK's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ had recorded mobile phone exchanges between the Omagh bombers on the day of the attack.
February-
Work on the development of Omagh's new Memorial Garden - the 'Garden of Light' - was set to begin following the closure of the existing garden.
The new memorial would encompass two sites - as a result of physical constraints - and would include a glass pillar, incorporating a cut glass heart, on the site of the Omagh bomb at Market Street, as well as the newly developed garden on an expanded site at Drumragh Avenue.
The two locations would be linked by 'a pathway of sunlight', created by 31 mirrors strategically placed in the Memorial Garden, to represent the 31 lives lost as a result of the bomb. This light will only be visible as it gently glitters and sparkles on the glass pillar, which is almost constantly in the shade.
The Memorial Garden project was due to be completed in time for the 10th anniversary of the August 15, 1998 Omagh bomb.
March-
Following prolonged public wrangling, Omagh Support and Self-Help Group (OSSHG) warmly welcomed the final decision on the Omagh bomb memorial narrative, thanking the independent facilitation team - headed by Rev Dr John Dunlop - for their sensitivity in addressing the thoughts and feelings of those directly affected by the 1998 atrocity.
April-
Elsewhere, a final attempt in seeking justice for those killed and injured in the 1998 Omagh bombing got underway during the second week of April last, as an 'unprecedented' civil action hearing began against five dissident republicans being sued by families of the victims.
June-
THE summer months started with a frosty atmosphere between an Omagh unionist councillor and the Department of Environment over a decision to remove a
In Belfast, as the civil case against the five Omagh bomb accused continued, victims' family members told the High Court of their years of suffering since. The Gallagher and McComb families gave particularly heart-rending evidence.
July-
An independent review into the Omagh bomb investigation concluded that trial judge, Mr Justice Weir's, inference that others involved in the investigation and preparation of the case may have been involved in the "deliberate and calculated deception" attributed to two officers was mere 'speculation'.
Agreeing that it is a matter of 'profound concern' Mr Justice Weir found it necessary to 'throw out' all charges against the accused, Sean Hoey, 'partly on what he saw as discreditable police scientific evidence', the review - commissioned by the Northern Ireland Policing Board -nonetheless took issue with this particular caveat.
August-
Elsewhere, August 15 last year, marked the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb, in which 29 people and unborn twins, were killed.
At 3.30pm on that day, the town of Omagh stood once more in silence to remember those lost 10 years ago in the atrocity that had visited on its peaceful streets.
The anniversary was marked by two separately organised services - a commemorative civic ceremony at Drumragh Avenue, at which the dedication of the Garden of Light memorial also took place, and a personal service for some of the grieving families, held 48 hours later.
September-
In the third week in September, shock revelations from intelligence tapes by GCHQ, showed the Omagh bombers were being monitored prior to carrying out the atrocity. The mobile phone recordings of people identified by Special Branch as being involved in bombings, were never handed over to the RUC or PSNI investigations into the blast. The families of the bereaved demanded the handover of the intelligence tapes as they continue to fight for justice at the High Court in Belfast. The new files came to light through a BBC Panorama documentary.
A year of highs and lows, sunny spells and icy blasts, 2008 brought celebrations and commemorations across the district.
Looking over 12 months of news, Omagh has welcomed investment, celebrated sporting success and marked the tenth anniversary of the town's greatest tragedy - the August 15 bombing of 1998. In 2008 agreement was reached over the Omagh bomb memorial narrative, and the 'Garden of Light' was developed in time for both a civic and family-led commemoration at which national media turned out in force.
2008 saw some of the families of those killed in the 1998 Omagh bomb begin their civil action against those they suspect of carrying out the brutal car bomb attack.
It was also this year that the BBC's Panorama revealed that the UK's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ had recorded mobile phone exchanges between the Omagh bombers on the day of the attack.
February-
Work on the development of Omagh's new Memorial Garden - the 'Garden of Light' - was set to begin following the closure of the existing garden.
The new memorial would encompass two sites - as a result of physical constraints - and would include a glass pillar, incorporating a cut glass heart, on the site of the Omagh bomb at Market Street, as well as the newly developed garden on an expanded site at Drumragh Avenue.
The two locations would be linked by 'a pathway of sunlight', created by 31 mirrors strategically placed in the Memorial Garden, to represent the 31 lives lost as a result of the bomb. This light will only be visible as it gently glitters and sparkles on the glass pillar, which is almost constantly in the shade.
The Memorial Garden project was due to be completed in time for the 10th anniversary of the August 15, 1998 Omagh bomb.
March-
Following prolonged public wrangling, Omagh Support and Self-Help Group (OSSHG) warmly welcomed the final decision on the Omagh bomb memorial narrative, thanking the independent facilitation team - headed by Rev Dr John Dunlop - for their sensitivity in addressing the thoughts and feelings of those directly affected by the 1998 atrocity.
April-
Elsewhere, a final attempt in seeking justice for those killed and injured in the 1998 Omagh bombing got underway during the second week of April last, as an 'unprecedented' civil action hearing began against five dissident republicans being sued by families of the victims.
June-
THE summer months started with a frosty atmosphere between an Omagh unionist councillor and the Department of Environment over a decision to remove a
In Belfast, as the civil case against the five Omagh bomb accused continued, victims' family members told the High Court of their years of suffering since. The Gallagher and McComb families gave particularly heart-rending evidence.
July-
An independent review into the Omagh bomb investigation concluded that trial judge, Mr Justice Weir's, inference that others involved in the investigation and preparation of the case may have been involved in the "deliberate and calculated deception" attributed to two officers was mere 'speculation'.
Agreeing that it is a matter of 'profound concern' Mr Justice Weir found it necessary to 'throw out' all charges against the accused, Sean Hoey, 'partly on what he saw as discreditable police scientific evidence', the review - commissioned by the Northern Ireland Policing Board -nonetheless took issue with this particular caveat.
August-
Elsewhere, August 15 last year, marked the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb, in which 29 people and unborn twins, were killed.
At 3.30pm on that day, the town of Omagh stood once more in silence to remember those lost 10 years ago in the atrocity that had visited on its peaceful streets.
The anniversary was marked by two separately organised services - a commemorative civic ceremony at Drumragh Avenue, at which the dedication of the Garden of Light memorial also took place, and a personal service for some of the grieving families, held 48 hours later.
September-
In the third week in September, shock revelations from intelligence tapes by GCHQ, showed the Omagh bombers were being monitored prior to carrying out the atrocity. The mobile phone recordings of people identified by Special Branch as being involved in bombings, were never handed over to the RUC or PSNI investigations into the blast. The families of the bereaved demanded the handover of the intelligence tapes as they continue to fight for justice at the High Court in Belfast. The new files came to light through a BBC Panorama documentary.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1973
Published Date: 01-Jan-09
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