OMAGH WILL LIGHT THE WAY TO 2000
OMAGH WILL LIGHT THE WAY TO 2000
EXCLUSIVE By MAEVE QUIGLEY
Beacon of hope to start celebrations
OMAGH will send out a ray of hope for the millennium after being selected to launch the UK's year 2000 celebrations.
Young- people from around the world will light torches from a special beacon to be built in the Co Tyrone town.
The torches will then be carried, Olympic style, to 31 destinations across the UK in time for the December 31 celebrations.
Stars and dignitaries, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, The Corrs and TV's Eamonn Holmes, are being invited to the town for the ceremony on September 3.
Coming just two weeks after the anniversary of the bomb which killed 29 people, the Millennium launch will give the rest of the UK a chance to show their continuing solidarity and sympathy.
Stanley McCombe, who lost his wife Ann in the Real IRA blast, welcomed the event.
He said: "Anything to keep the good will of the people in Omagh together rather than divided is very important.
"It's nice to stage this to try to keep the good will of Omagh and the whole of Northern Ireland.
"If this is a sign of peace for Northern Ireland and the like, then I'm all for it."
Nine Ulster towns and 22 cities from the rest of Britain have been invited to send representatives to light their flame from the Omagh beacon.
Children
In a joint UK Duke of Edinburgh and Irish President's Award Scheme venture, called the Gold Standard Scheme, more than 40 children from all around the globe have also been invited to Omagh for the launch.
They will light the torches, which will then be placed in special lanterns enabling them to be carried safely by civic leaders from the selected towns and cities.
The launch,which is being organised by Omagh District Council, will be held in the grounds of the town's leisure centre.
In the hours following the bomb desperate friends and relatives gathered in the centre as they sought information about their loved ones.
Organisers plan to make the launch an informal event, with street theatre and live entertainment.
John McKinney, chief executive of the Council, said the millennium celebrations were the first of a number of events planned to try to lift the spirits of the community and help Omagh move forward.
"Events like this are confidence boosting." he said.
"They offer hope and motivation.
"In no way am I suggesting that we will ever forget what happened, but the strength of people is there to move forward in the town.
"The most important thing is that we move together as a community united in a single purpose."
EXCLUSIVE By MAEVE QUIGLEY
Beacon of hope to start celebrations
OMAGH will send out a ray of hope for the millennium after being selected to launch the UK's year 2000 celebrations.
Young- people from around the world will light torches from a special beacon to be built in the Co Tyrone town.
The torches will then be carried, Olympic style, to 31 destinations across the UK in time for the December 31 celebrations.
Stars and dignitaries, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, The Corrs and TV's Eamonn Holmes, are being invited to the town for the ceremony on September 3.
Coming just two weeks after the anniversary of the bomb which killed 29 people, the Millennium launch will give the rest of the UK a chance to show their continuing solidarity and sympathy.
Stanley McCombe, who lost his wife Ann in the Real IRA blast, welcomed the event.
He said: "Anything to keep the good will of the people in Omagh together rather than divided is very important.
"It's nice to stage this to try to keep the good will of Omagh and the whole of Northern Ireland.
"If this is a sign of peace for Northern Ireland and the like, then I'm all for it."
Nine Ulster towns and 22 cities from the rest of Britain have been invited to send representatives to light their flame from the Omagh beacon.
Children
In a joint UK Duke of Edinburgh and Irish President's Award Scheme venture, called the Gold Standard Scheme, more than 40 children from all around the globe have also been invited to Omagh for the launch.
They will light the torches, which will then be placed in special lanterns enabling them to be carried safely by civic leaders from the selected towns and cities.
The launch,which is being organised by Omagh District Council, will be held in the grounds of the town's leisure centre.
In the hours following the bomb desperate friends and relatives gathered in the centre as they sought information about their loved ones.
Organisers plan to make the launch an informal event, with street theatre and live entertainment.
John McKinney, chief executive of the Council, said the millennium celebrations were the first of a number of events planned to try to lift the spirits of the community and help Omagh move forward.
"Events like this are confidence boosting." he said.
"They offer hope and motivation.
"In no way am I suggesting that we will ever forget what happened, but the strength of people is there to move forward in the town.
"The most important thing is that we move together as a community united in a single purpose."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/082
Published Date: 14-Aug-99
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