TWO YEARS ON AND THE PAIN STILL WONT GO AWAY
TWO YEARS ON AND THE PAIN STILL WON'T GO AWAY
By JON CLEMENTS
THE people of Omagh yesterday took a painful step closer to healing the wounds of two years ago.
They gathered in silent tribute to the victims of the Real IRA explosion.
At 3.09pm, the time 300lb bomb ripped the Co Tyrone community apart, the town stood still.
The church bells stopped tolling and townsfolk stood still for a minute of silence in memory of the 29 people who died on August 15, 1998.
And in the Garden of Remembrance to Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity, families and friends of the victims gathered to grieve.
At Market Street, workmen who had been repairing the physical scars left by the bomb downed tools to watch the scale of the emotional damage.
Hundreds of people had gathered at the Garden to pay their respects and pray that no more families would be forced to suffer their pain.
Among them, the relatives of one family who lost three generations in the blink of an eye.
Baby Maura Monaghan, aged 18 months, mother Avril, 30, and her mother Mary Grimes, 65 all died in the blast.
The ceremony at the Garden, which is just yards from the bomb site, was short but painfully to the point.
For the families of the victims it was a testing day - time to remember their loved ones but time to try and move on.
As the rain started to pour down, they clutched their flower wreaths, eager to lay them and leave but equally determined to make it to the end.
Among them was Donna Marie Keyes, now McGillion, who was so cruelly scarred by the blast.
She was due to marry Garry just days after the bomb and battled back from her injuries to walk down the aisle.
Donna Marie had been out shopping with Garry's little niece Breda trying to buy a pair of shoes when the bomb exploded. Breda died in the blast.
Michael Gallagher, the spokesman for the Omagh victims group who lost his son Adrian, comforted Kevin Skelton whose wife Philomena died.
He said a silent prayer for the son he will never see gain - before returning to comfort other victims of tragedy. Victims hung on to each in silence as the rain came down.
The scale of the horror was brought home as schoolchildren from the Republic and teachers and pupils from Spain were remembered.
They had arrived in Omagh on a day trip on the day of the blast.
Omagh mayor Liam McQuade said: "The bereaved and the injured have borne their pain and grief with dignity.
"The physical rebuilding of our town is now under way but we still have to renew broken hearts, minds and bodies.
"We hope that the Troubles have now been consigned to the past and there will be a brighter future for all our people, free from sectarian bigotry and hatred."
Local priest Father Kevin Mullan said: "Money has to be earned, bread put on the table and children have to go back to school.
"We all have to put our best foot forward and carry on as well as we can."
Yesterday's commemoration was low key compared to last year - it was a day for the families, not the politicians.
Another ordeal for the families is about to start as inquests into the 29 deaths open next month.
And the pain of knowing the guilty men still walk free is ever harder to bear.
Despite the biggest ever joint police operation on both sides of the border, only one man has been charged with conspiracy in connection to the bomb and is due to stand trial in Dublin.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern issued a joint statement yesterday, pledging to continue the hunt for those involved and urging anyone with information about the bomb to tell the police.
By JON CLEMENTS
THE people of Omagh yesterday took a painful step closer to healing the wounds of two years ago.
They gathered in silent tribute to the victims of the Real IRA explosion.
At 3.09pm, the time 300lb bomb ripped the Co Tyrone community apart, the town stood still.
The church bells stopped tolling and townsfolk stood still for a minute of silence in memory of the 29 people who died on August 15, 1998.
And in the Garden of Remembrance to Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity, families and friends of the victims gathered to grieve.
At Market Street, workmen who had been repairing the physical scars left by the bomb downed tools to watch the scale of the emotional damage.
Hundreds of people had gathered at the Garden to pay their respects and pray that no more families would be forced to suffer their pain.
Among them, the relatives of one family who lost three generations in the blink of an eye.
Baby Maura Monaghan, aged 18 months, mother Avril, 30, and her mother Mary Grimes, 65 all died in the blast.
The ceremony at the Garden, which is just yards from the bomb site, was short but painfully to the point.
For the families of the victims it was a testing day - time to remember their loved ones but time to try and move on.
As the rain started to pour down, they clutched their flower wreaths, eager to lay them and leave but equally determined to make it to the end.
Among them was Donna Marie Keyes, now McGillion, who was so cruelly scarred by the blast.
She was due to marry Garry just days after the bomb and battled back from her injuries to walk down the aisle.
Donna Marie had been out shopping with Garry's little niece Breda trying to buy a pair of shoes when the bomb exploded. Breda died in the blast.
Michael Gallagher, the spokesman for the Omagh victims group who lost his son Adrian, comforted Kevin Skelton whose wife Philomena died.
He said a silent prayer for the son he will never see gain - before returning to comfort other victims of tragedy. Victims hung on to each in silence as the rain came down.
The scale of the horror was brought home as schoolchildren from the Republic and teachers and pupils from Spain were remembered.
They had arrived in Omagh on a day trip on the day of the blast.
Omagh mayor Liam McQuade said: "The bereaved and the injured have borne their pain and grief with dignity.
"The physical rebuilding of our town is now under way but we still have to renew broken hearts, minds and bodies.
"We hope that the Troubles have now been consigned to the past and there will be a brighter future for all our people, free from sectarian bigotry and hatred."
Local priest Father Kevin Mullan said: "Money has to be earned, bread put on the table and children have to go back to school.
"We all have to put our best foot forward and carry on as well as we can."
Yesterday's commemoration was low key compared to last year - it was a day for the families, not the politicians.
Another ordeal for the families is about to start as inquests into the 29 deaths open next month.
And the pain of knowing the guilty men still walk free is ever harder to bear.
Despite the biggest ever joint police operation on both sides of the border, only one man has been charged with conspiracy in connection to the bomb and is due to stand trial in Dublin.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern issued a joint statement yesterday, pledging to continue the hunt for those involved and urging anyone with information about the bomb to tell the police.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/111
Published Date: 16-Aug-00
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