MASSACRE AT OMAGH THE VICTIMS OF EVIL
MASSACRE AT OMAGH THE VICTIMS OF EVIL
By LUCY ROCK and NEIL LESLIE
FORTY-EIGHT hours on and the overwhelming grief is even harder to bear than ever.
Here for the first time are all the victims of the Omagh bomb massacre - 28 beloved husbands, wives, sons and daughters, some cut down in the dawn of their young lives.
Behind each face there is a family in despair. And yesterday as the awful knowledge that they have lost their loved ones forever took root, they couldn't help their anguish bursting out anew.
Donna Maria Barker who can't rid herself of the image of her 12-year-old son. James, lying cruelly disfigured on a slab. The 41-year-old mother of four wept: "To see him lying there with half his head gone and those beautiful green eyes of his looking out as if he was waiting for me was devastating. I never realised how green his eyes were. That image will stay with me for the rest of my life.
"They've taken away my baby. They've robbed him of his future, and for what? I'll never ever forgive the evil men who carried out this deed."
Clutching James's treasured Chelsea football jersey. Donna Maria told how her son was so excited about his Saturday visit to a folk museum in Omagh he jumped from her car without even saying goodbye.
Buried
Then he dashed on to a waiting bus to join pals Oran Doherty, eight, and Sean McLaughlin, 12. Hours later, all three were dead. They are now expected to be buried side by side.
Donna Maria - also mum of Esther, 20, Estelle, 14 and Oliver, four - said: "James did look back at me and smile, the way he normally does. He had such a beautiful smile and was such a happy and gifted child."
The Barkers left Chertsey, Surrey, 10 months ago for a "quiet" life in Buncrana. Co Donegal. Yesterday, their former neighbours were stunned by James's death. The flag of St George flew at half mast over the St George's College Junior School which James attended. His photograph was displayed outside the building.
The youngster's former teacher, Margaret Davenport, said: "He was happy, loving child. Everybody is stunned by this terrible tragedy."
Parish priest Father Jude McHugo said: "We have prayed for the family and will continue to do so. We are horrified that someone who lived among us was a victim."
James's solicitor father Victor 41 still works in Chertsey spending weekends with his family in Ireland. He has been a member of Runnymede Council for eight years. Council chief Chris Norman said: "They are a lovely family. I don't know when Victor will be coming back to Surrey."
Runnymede mayor Geoffrey Woodger said: "I'm not ashamed to admit I shed tears when I heard the news. They are a super family and Victor is a very caring father."
A family friend added: "Our hearts go out to them Donna Maria had wanted to return to Ireland for a long time, but the family waited until there was a prospect of peace. Then this happens."
Oran and Sean, who lived just doors apart in Buncrana, died side by side after going into Omagh to buy sweets following their visit to the folk museum. Oran's sister Lisa. 18. said: "He was just an angel - so loving, gentle and generous. He was a wee innocent baby. We all miss him so much. We'll never get over this.
"Oran and Sean were best friends. Now we'd like a joint funeral. It would be nice for James to be with them. Oran will be buried in a Celtic football shirt a friend was going to give him on Sunday."
Lisa said her parents - Michael, 41, and Bernadette, 40, who have two more sons and three daughters - were still in deep shock. She said: "Mum and dad can't handle it. We have to be strong for them." She revealed that her three-year-old brother, Oisin keeps asking where Oran is. Then, breaking down in tears, she sobbed: "No punishment is bad enough for the people who did this. Do they know the pain they have caused?"
Family priest Father Joseph Carolan said: "A joint funeral would be the best way for everyone to celebrate the boys' lives. James's father met Oran's father at the hospital and again today. I hope it can be arranged."
Sean's uncle Michael Doherty had the grim task of identifying his nephew's body in a makeshift morgue. As messages of sympathy and wreaths piled up at the blast scene, he said: "I'll never forget seeing all the bodies laid out. It was a horrible sight. I just hope no one ever again has to go through the pain of identifying their loved ones after such a devastating bomb."
By LUCY ROCK and NEIL LESLIE
FORTY-EIGHT hours on and the overwhelming grief is even harder to bear than ever.
Here for the first time are all the victims of the Omagh bomb massacre - 28 beloved husbands, wives, sons and daughters, some cut down in the dawn of their young lives.
Behind each face there is a family in despair. And yesterday as the awful knowledge that they have lost their loved ones forever took root, they couldn't help their anguish bursting out anew.
Donna Maria Barker who can't rid herself of the image of her 12-year-old son. James, lying cruelly disfigured on a slab. The 41-year-old mother of four wept: "To see him lying there with half his head gone and those beautiful green eyes of his looking out as if he was waiting for me was devastating. I never realised how green his eyes were. That image will stay with me for the rest of my life.
"They've taken away my baby. They've robbed him of his future, and for what? I'll never ever forgive the evil men who carried out this deed."
Clutching James's treasured Chelsea football jersey. Donna Maria told how her son was so excited about his Saturday visit to a folk museum in Omagh he jumped from her car without even saying goodbye.
Buried
Then he dashed on to a waiting bus to join pals Oran Doherty, eight, and Sean McLaughlin, 12. Hours later, all three were dead. They are now expected to be buried side by side.
Donna Maria - also mum of Esther, 20, Estelle, 14 and Oliver, four - said: "James did look back at me and smile, the way he normally does. He had such a beautiful smile and was such a happy and gifted child."
The Barkers left Chertsey, Surrey, 10 months ago for a "quiet" life in Buncrana. Co Donegal. Yesterday, their former neighbours were stunned by James's death. The flag of St George flew at half mast over the St George's College Junior School which James attended. His photograph was displayed outside the building.
The youngster's former teacher, Margaret Davenport, said: "He was happy, loving child. Everybody is stunned by this terrible tragedy."
Parish priest Father Jude McHugo said: "We have prayed for the family and will continue to do so. We are horrified that someone who lived among us was a victim."
James's solicitor father Victor 41 still works in Chertsey spending weekends with his family in Ireland. He has been a member of Runnymede Council for eight years. Council chief Chris Norman said: "They are a lovely family. I don't know when Victor will be coming back to Surrey."
Runnymede mayor Geoffrey Woodger said: "I'm not ashamed to admit I shed tears when I heard the news. They are a super family and Victor is a very caring father."
A family friend added: "Our hearts go out to them Donna Maria had wanted to return to Ireland for a long time, but the family waited until there was a prospect of peace. Then this happens."
Oran and Sean, who lived just doors apart in Buncrana, died side by side after going into Omagh to buy sweets following their visit to the folk museum. Oran's sister Lisa. 18. said: "He was just an angel - so loving, gentle and generous. He was a wee innocent baby. We all miss him so much. We'll never get over this.
"Oran and Sean were best friends. Now we'd like a joint funeral. It would be nice for James to be with them. Oran will be buried in a Celtic football shirt a friend was going to give him on Sunday."
Lisa said her parents - Michael, 41, and Bernadette, 40, who have two more sons and three daughters - were still in deep shock. She said: "Mum and dad can't handle it. We have to be strong for them." She revealed that her three-year-old brother, Oisin keeps asking where Oran is. Then, breaking down in tears, she sobbed: "No punishment is bad enough for the people who did this. Do they know the pain they have caused?"
Family priest Father Joseph Carolan said: "A joint funeral would be the best way for everyone to celebrate the boys' lives. James's father met Oran's father at the hospital and again today. I hope it can be arranged."
Sean's uncle Michael Doherty had the grim task of identifying his nephew's body in a makeshift morgue. As messages of sympathy and wreaths piled up at the blast scene, he said: "I'll never forget seeing all the bodies laid out. It was a horrible sight. I just hope no one ever again has to go through the pain of identifying their loved ones after such a devastating bomb."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/020
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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