NATIONS GRIEF FOR THE LOST CHILDREN
NATIONS' GRIEF FOR THE LOST CHILDREN
By DONNA CARTON
THE flag of Spain was raised beside the Irish tricolour at the gates of Scoil Naisiunta Iosagain in Buncrana yesterday.
Both hung at half-mast as two nations mourned their young dead.
Twenty of the Spanish students on an international exchange scheme to the Donegal town have decided to remain there for the rest of the summer in defiance of the Omagh bombers who claimed the lives of their young pal and their teacher.
Despite the offer of a flight home, they stayed with their new friends, Spanish and Irish, to counsel and console each other and attend the funerals of the three Buncranna boys this morning.
Student leader, Paula Helguera, from Spain's Basque country, organises the annual trips to Ireland. She lives in Madrid with her Dublin husband.
Four members of Paula's family were injured in last weekend's atrocity. Her 12-year-old niece is in a coma but doctors say she, and the other three, are making good progress.
She said yesterday: "I had taken the group of children on an excursion to the Folk Park and as a treat we went shopping in Omagh.
"We arrived just a few minutes before the alarm was sounded and the evacuation by police began.
"My first thought was fear but my duty was to see that everyone got out of the danger zone. As we tried to get to safety the bomb exploded and we were all caught up in it.
Screaming
"It was horrific, the children were screaming and crying, it was a terrible, terrible time."
"I especially thank the kind people of Buncrana who have been a rock of support for us.
"Local people here immediately threw open their doors to Spanish parents and Spanish families. Irish families and Spanish families have been living together for the past few days.
"The support from Buncrana has been phenomenal. This has been one of the main factors in myself and my husband deciding to continue visiting here with groups of Spanish students who want to learn English.
"We've been doing it since 1989 and we don't intend to stop now.
"This hospitality has been the main reason why students want to stay on and why their parents agree to let them. They don't want to cut short their time with these incredibly kind people."
Paula told SDLP leader John Hume and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, when they visited the school yesterday: "My family are from the Basque Country so we have known suffering. Keep up your peace work, many people are behind you."
Mr Ahern signed the book of condolences, writing: "Deepest sympathy - we will continue to try to bring peace."
By DONNA CARTON
THE flag of Spain was raised beside the Irish tricolour at the gates of Scoil Naisiunta Iosagain in Buncrana yesterday.
Both hung at half-mast as two nations mourned their young dead.
Twenty of the Spanish students on an international exchange scheme to the Donegal town have decided to remain there for the rest of the summer in defiance of the Omagh bombers who claimed the lives of their young pal and their teacher.
Despite the offer of a flight home, they stayed with their new friends, Spanish and Irish, to counsel and console each other and attend the funerals of the three Buncranna boys this morning.
Student leader, Paula Helguera, from Spain's Basque country, organises the annual trips to Ireland. She lives in Madrid with her Dublin husband.
Four members of Paula's family were injured in last weekend's atrocity. Her 12-year-old niece is in a coma but doctors say she, and the other three, are making good progress.
She said yesterday: "I had taken the group of children on an excursion to the Folk Park and as a treat we went shopping in Omagh.
"We arrived just a few minutes before the alarm was sounded and the evacuation by police began.
"My first thought was fear but my duty was to see that everyone got out of the danger zone. As we tried to get to safety the bomb exploded and we were all caught up in it.
Screaming
"It was horrific, the children were screaming and crying, it was a terrible, terrible time."
"I especially thank the kind people of Buncrana who have been a rock of support for us.
"Local people here immediately threw open their doors to Spanish parents and Spanish families. Irish families and Spanish families have been living together for the past few days.
"The support from Buncrana has been phenomenal. This has been one of the main factors in myself and my husband deciding to continue visiting here with groups of Spanish students who want to learn English.
"We've been doing it since 1989 and we don't intend to stop now.
"This hospitality has been the main reason why students want to stay on and why their parents agree to let them. They don't want to cut short their time with these incredibly kind people."
Paula told SDLP leader John Hume and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, when they visited the school yesterday: "My family are from the Basque Country so we have known suffering. Keep up your peace work, many people are behind you."
Mr Ahern signed the book of condolences, writing: "Deepest sympathy - we will continue to try to bring peace."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/048
Published Date: 19-Aug-98
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