OMAGH REMEMBERS 12 YEARS ON
Omagh remembers 12 years on
Poignant service sees impassioned plea for end to terrorist violence
by Jonathan Rainey
THE families of the Omagh bomb victims made an impassioned plea for terrorist violence in Northern Ireland to end at the service marking the 12th anniversary of the 1998 atrocity, held in the Memorial Garden in the town on Sunday afternoon.
At the end of the poignant event, Michael Gallagher, spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, appealed for everyone attending the service to put their two hands up in the air in order to send a message to people engaged in terrorism that their violence must end.
Mr Gallagher's call came at the end of a week which saw an upsurge in the number of activities linked to dissident republicans in Northern Ireland, including a bomb attack in Lurgan in which three children were injured. A senior police officer said this incident, which occurred on Saturday, had "stark similarities" to the Real IRA car bomb of August 15, 1998.
The spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self Help Group said: "I think it's important in the climate that we find ourselves in that we send a message to all the people out there that violence must end and people should come together and appreciate our cultural diversity." After asking the assembled crowd to put up their two hands, he added: "This is to show that there is no blood on our hands and we don't want anyone else's blood on anyone's hands. By doing this, I hope that in some way we could possibly influence somebody who is thinking about violence."
The short service of prayer, music and reflection, which was organised by the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Hugo Swire MP, his Irish counterpart Peter Power TD, the deputy mayor of Buncrana Town Council Michael Grant, several Omagh district councillors and clergyman from a variety of faiths.
Organisations also represented included Pax Christi Ireland, a non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement which has been working in Ireland since 1958.
Music at the service was provided by St Eugene's Brass Band, from Omagh, and Donegal gospel singer, Lesley Matthews, who sang the hymn 'Precious Memories'.
Mr Matthews also played a hymn called 'In the Garden', as all the people who attended the service laid flowers at the Memorial Garden in memory of the bomb victims. Bible readings were given by Rev Ian Gilpin, from First Presbyterian Non-Subscribing Church in Moira, Rev Lorraine Capper, of St Columba's Church, Omagh, Canon Derek Quinn, of Cappagh Parish Church, Rev Joe Sweeney, of Omagh Methodist Church, and Rev Tim Close, a military padre. Mr Gilpin also led the blessing at the end of the service. Readings were also given in Spanish by Nic Cassidy, German by Paula Walter and Hebrew by Neville Finch, a representative of the Jewish community - giving an international flavour to the proceedings.
Drumquin Parish Priest, Rev Kevin Mullan, gave a reflection before members of Pax Christi called out the Roll of Honour of the names of all the victims of the 1998 atrocity. Prayers were also said for all those injured and traumatised as a result of the Omagh bomb, as well as all the victims of international terrorism worldwide.
This was followed by a minute's silence in remembrance of the victims.
Speaking after the service, Mr Gallagher said that the anniversary remained the most important day in the calendar for the Omagh families.
He said: "It's the one opportunity where we can come together with the wider community. We had a fantastic variety of people coming from different walks of life, different churches and different languages and I think that's unique.
"At the end of the service today, we sent out a strong message to those who still want a return to violence that we want no part of it. We have suffered, and we don't want to suffer in the way that we have.
"We went through a very difficult and traumatic time over the past 30 years. We certainly don't want to revisit that and we feel it is important that the vast majority of people work together and move forward and not return to violence."
Mr Gallagher also gave grateful thanks to the group's administration worker, Fiona Henry, for all her hard work and practical support in the run-up to this year's memorial service.
Meanwhile,Northern Ireland Office Minister of State, Mr Swire MP, said he had been "very pleased" to be able to represent the government at Sunday's event.
"From being here today, it is very clear that the feelings are very raw, as they would be if you had lost a close relation in what was one of the most appalling atrocities in all of the Troubles," he said.
Poignant service sees impassioned plea for end to terrorist violence
by Jonathan Rainey
THE families of the Omagh bomb victims made an impassioned plea for terrorist violence in Northern Ireland to end at the service marking the 12th anniversary of the 1998 atrocity, held in the Memorial Garden in the town on Sunday afternoon.
At the end of the poignant event, Michael Gallagher, spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, appealed for everyone attending the service to put their two hands up in the air in order to send a message to people engaged in terrorism that their violence must end.
Mr Gallagher's call came at the end of a week which saw an upsurge in the number of activities linked to dissident republicans in Northern Ireland, including a bomb attack in Lurgan in which three children were injured. A senior police officer said this incident, which occurred on Saturday, had "stark similarities" to the Real IRA car bomb of August 15, 1998.
The spokesperson for the Omagh Support and Self Help Group said: "I think it's important in the climate that we find ourselves in that we send a message to all the people out there that violence must end and people should come together and appreciate our cultural diversity." After asking the assembled crowd to put up their two hands, he added: "This is to show that there is no blood on our hands and we don't want anyone else's blood on anyone's hands. By doing this, I hope that in some way we could possibly influence somebody who is thinking about violence."
The short service of prayer, music and reflection, which was organised by the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Hugo Swire MP, his Irish counterpart Peter Power TD, the deputy mayor of Buncrana Town Council Michael Grant, several Omagh district councillors and clergyman from a variety of faiths.
Organisations also represented included Pax Christi Ireland, a non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement which has been working in Ireland since 1958.
Music at the service was provided by St Eugene's Brass Band, from Omagh, and Donegal gospel singer, Lesley Matthews, who sang the hymn 'Precious Memories'.
Mr Matthews also played a hymn called 'In the Garden', as all the people who attended the service laid flowers at the Memorial Garden in memory of the bomb victims. Bible readings were given by Rev Ian Gilpin, from First Presbyterian Non-Subscribing Church in Moira, Rev Lorraine Capper, of St Columba's Church, Omagh, Canon Derek Quinn, of Cappagh Parish Church, Rev Joe Sweeney, of Omagh Methodist Church, and Rev Tim Close, a military padre. Mr Gilpin also led the blessing at the end of the service. Readings were also given in Spanish by Nic Cassidy, German by Paula Walter and Hebrew by Neville Finch, a representative of the Jewish community - giving an international flavour to the proceedings.
Drumquin Parish Priest, Rev Kevin Mullan, gave a reflection before members of Pax Christi called out the Roll of Honour of the names of all the victims of the 1998 atrocity. Prayers were also said for all those injured and traumatised as a result of the Omagh bomb, as well as all the victims of international terrorism worldwide.
This was followed by a minute's silence in remembrance of the victims.
Speaking after the service, Mr Gallagher said that the anniversary remained the most important day in the calendar for the Omagh families.
He said: "It's the one opportunity where we can come together with the wider community. We had a fantastic variety of people coming from different walks of life, different churches and different languages and I think that's unique.
"At the end of the service today, we sent out a strong message to those who still want a return to violence that we want no part of it. We have suffered, and we don't want to suffer in the way that we have.
"We went through a very difficult and traumatic time over the past 30 years. We certainly don't want to revisit that and we feel it is important that the vast majority of people work together and move forward and not return to violence."
Mr Gallagher also gave grateful thanks to the group's administration worker, Fiona Henry, for all her hard work and practical support in the run-up to this year's memorial service.
Meanwhile,Northern Ireland Office Minister of State, Mr Swire MP, said he had been "very pleased" to be able to represent the government at Sunday's event.
"From being here today, it is very clear that the feelings are very raw, as they would be if you had lost a close relation in what was one of the most appalling atrocities in all of the Troubles," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1998
Published Date: 19-Aug-10
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