HEART BLOWN OUT OF A FAMILY
Heart blown out of a family
Ray Ryan reports on the barbaric act which wiped out three generations
THE bomb that rocked a nation wiped out three generations of one family with Co Cork roots, and even destroyed unborn life.
Lismire, near Kanturk, was in mourning, last night, with the Ahern family, who suffered a devastating blow when the bomb exploded on the Feast of the Assumption.
Mary Grimes (65), a retired nurse, her daughter, Avril Monaghan (30), a mother-of-four and expecting twins next month, and her 18-month-old daughter, Maura, were all killed in the blast.
Tearful locals were at a loss for words in Lismire, last night, to describe how the bomb blast nearly 200 miles away could have such a horrendous affect on a popular family and their community. Known in the area as Mary Ahern from Lismire, Mrs Grimes and her sister, Joan, trained as nurses and married two Grimes brothers, Jim and Brian, both farmers from near Omagh.
She went to live in Tyrone about 35 years ago and helped her husband Jim to run their farm. They had a family of 11, nine boys and two girls. But she kept up her links with Lismire and was back home with her sister two weeks ago and attended Mass in St Joseph's Church, where the congregation first heard of her death, yesterday morning.
It later emerged that her daughter, Avril, and her daughter were also killed.
Her brother, Maurice Ahern, a farmer from Bawmore, near Kanturk, spoke last evening of the family's shock. Family members spent most of Saturday trying to get through to Omagh where telephone services were knocked out by the explosion.
They knew that Mrs Grimes and her family often went into Omagh shopping on Saturdays and feared they might have been there when the bomb went off. They eventually got through late on Saturday night to be told by a family member that Mrs Grimes, her daughter and grandaughter had gone into town earlier in the day and had not returned. Family members prayed and hoped overnight that the mother, daughter and grand-daughter would be found alive, but they heard the grim news early yesterday morning. Maurice Ahern said it came as a terrible shock to all the family, which was last night making plans to travel to Omagh and comfort their relatives and attend the funerals. Neighbours and friends last night rallied around Mrs Grimes' brothers, Maurice, Con and Timmy, who live in the Lismire area, and her sisters, Lily Ahern (Lismire), Bridie Lane (Newmarket) and Theresa O'Sullivan (Glanmire) as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy. Another sister, Peggy Dwane, who resided in Mallow, had pre-deceased her. One local said the entire community was shocked.
Gerard Murphy, Newmarket, a member and former chairman of Cork County Council, said people had all used words such as barbaric, savage and futile in the past to describe similar atrocities.
But these words had now taken on a new and more real meaning for the people of the area because the Aherns, a well-respected local family were the victims.
"The lunatics who placed this bomb have murdered one member of this family from each of three generations," he said, extending his sympathy to the Ahern family and all the victims of the tragedy.
Mr Murphy went on: "We all must act more decisively to rid our society of these senseless people.
"There must be no complacency, no refuge and no tolerance. We cannot tolerate this barbarism in our society."
Michael O'Callaghan, national president, United Farmers Association, who also sympathised with the Ahern family, said the scale of the massacre was too much for people to take in.
The bombing was a horrendous act which defied belief in a so-called civilised society, he said.
The Grimes family were too distressed to speak publicly of their loss and neighbours were reluctant to comment, but they were described the family as "solid" citizens.
Mr and Mrs Grimes attended Mass every day and Mr Grimes actively contributed to community projects. Michael Monaghan was also too distraught to speak publicly.
His parish priest, Father Lawrence Dawson, said the community was stunned, but he hoped that with the help of friends and neighbours the family would be able to come through the devastating tragedy.
The Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, visited the Grimes family late yesterday afternoon and said they were devastated.
Mr Grimes's brother, James, was a priest in Whitecross, his archdiocese.
"The family are just totally devastated. They are just so shocked," the archbishop said.
People in Beragh last night spoke of Mary and Mick Grimes as a couple who were devoted to each other, to their family and supportive of their community.
"They're very good people," said one man who did not want to be named. "Very religious, very private."Mick's a great man for the family. He had a big family and they're all around him now." Mary Grimes was quiet and hospitable.
"She was your typical farmer's wife," said another villager.
"She worked very hard and was always very nice. Would give you a cup of tea and something to eat whenever you'd call round.
"You would never have heard a word of complaint or argument from her, a very gentle person. It's a big loss, but he has great faith and maybe that will see him through this."
Meanwhile, a driver died, yesterday, after an ambulance transferring victims of the Omagh bomb was in collision with his car.
The accident happened on the Knock Road in Belfast shortly after 9.30 a.m. police said.
The victim was driving a Renault Megane which was in collision with an ambulance ferrying casualties from the bombing.
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
Ray Ryan reports on the barbaric act which wiped out three generations
THE bomb that rocked a nation wiped out three generations of one family with Co Cork roots, and even destroyed unborn life.
Lismire, near Kanturk, was in mourning, last night, with the Ahern family, who suffered a devastating blow when the bomb exploded on the Feast of the Assumption.
Mary Grimes (65), a retired nurse, her daughter, Avril Monaghan (30), a mother-of-four and expecting twins next month, and her 18-month-old daughter, Maura, were all killed in the blast.
Tearful locals were at a loss for words in Lismire, last night, to describe how the bomb blast nearly 200 miles away could have such a horrendous affect on a popular family and their community. Known in the area as Mary Ahern from Lismire, Mrs Grimes and her sister, Joan, trained as nurses and married two Grimes brothers, Jim and Brian, both farmers from near Omagh.
She went to live in Tyrone about 35 years ago and helped her husband Jim to run their farm. They had a family of 11, nine boys and two girls. But she kept up her links with Lismire and was back home with her sister two weeks ago and attended Mass in St Joseph's Church, where the congregation first heard of her death, yesterday morning.
It later emerged that her daughter, Avril, and her daughter were also killed.
Her brother, Maurice Ahern, a farmer from Bawmore, near Kanturk, spoke last evening of the family's shock. Family members spent most of Saturday trying to get through to Omagh where telephone services were knocked out by the explosion.
They knew that Mrs Grimes and her family often went into Omagh shopping on Saturdays and feared they might have been there when the bomb went off. They eventually got through late on Saturday night to be told by a family member that Mrs Grimes, her daughter and grandaughter had gone into town earlier in the day and had not returned. Family members prayed and hoped overnight that the mother, daughter and grand-daughter would be found alive, but they heard the grim news early yesterday morning. Maurice Ahern said it came as a terrible shock to all the family, which was last night making plans to travel to Omagh and comfort their relatives and attend the funerals. Neighbours and friends last night rallied around Mrs Grimes' brothers, Maurice, Con and Timmy, who live in the Lismire area, and her sisters, Lily Ahern (Lismire), Bridie Lane (Newmarket) and Theresa O'Sullivan (Glanmire) as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy. Another sister, Peggy Dwane, who resided in Mallow, had pre-deceased her. One local said the entire community was shocked.
Gerard Murphy, Newmarket, a member and former chairman of Cork County Council, said people had all used words such as barbaric, savage and futile in the past to describe similar atrocities.
But these words had now taken on a new and more real meaning for the people of the area because the Aherns, a well-respected local family were the victims.
"The lunatics who placed this bomb have murdered one member of this family from each of three generations," he said, extending his sympathy to the Ahern family and all the victims of the tragedy.
Mr Murphy went on: "We all must act more decisively to rid our society of these senseless people.
"There must be no complacency, no refuge and no tolerance. We cannot tolerate this barbarism in our society."
Michael O'Callaghan, national president, United Farmers Association, who also sympathised with the Ahern family, said the scale of the massacre was too much for people to take in.
The bombing was a horrendous act which defied belief in a so-called civilised society, he said.
The Grimes family were too distressed to speak publicly of their loss and neighbours were reluctant to comment, but they were described the family as "solid" citizens.
Mr and Mrs Grimes attended Mass every day and Mr Grimes actively contributed to community projects. Michael Monaghan was also too distraught to speak publicly.
His parish priest, Father Lawrence Dawson, said the community was stunned, but he hoped that with the help of friends and neighbours the family would be able to come through the devastating tragedy.
The Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, visited the Grimes family late yesterday afternoon and said they were devastated.
Mr Grimes's brother, James, was a priest in Whitecross, his archdiocese.
"The family are just totally devastated. They are just so shocked," the archbishop said.
People in Beragh last night spoke of Mary and Mick Grimes as a couple who were devoted to each other, to their family and supportive of their community.
"They're very good people," said one man who did not want to be named. "Very religious, very private."Mick's a great man for the family. He had a big family and they're all around him now." Mary Grimes was quiet and hospitable.
"She was your typical farmer's wife," said another villager.
"She worked very hard and was always very nice. Would give you a cup of tea and something to eat whenever you'd call round.
"You would never have heard a word of complaint or argument from her, a very gentle person. It's a big loss, but he has great faith and maybe that will see him through this."
Meanwhile, a driver died, yesterday, after an ambulance transferring victims of the Omagh bomb was in collision with his car.
The accident happened on the Knock Road in Belfast shortly after 9.30 a.m. police said.
The victim was driving a Renault Megane which was in collision with an ambulance ferrying casualties from the bombing.
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
Further Information
Publisher: THE EXAMINER
Ref: TEX/028
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
Related Images
