OMAGH FAMILIES REAL IRA PICKET
OMAGH FAMILIES REAL IRA PICKET
By DEIRDRE O'DONOVAN
Bomber clashes with relatives
FAMILIES of Omagh bomb victims were confronted by convicted terrorists as they protested as they protested at a Real IRA fundraising event last night.
Six families and survivors of the horror blast were told leave the car park of the pub on the outskirts of West Belfast by Old Bailey bomber Marion Price.
The 32, County Sovereignty Committee, which has links to the Real IRA, was holding a night of 'music and craic' at Brennan's bar in Hannahtowns.
Omagh families' picketed the bar at around 7.30pm carrying posters bearing pictures of their loved ones. Underneath was written: "Murdered by the 32 County Sovereignty Committee/Real IRA."
But as soon as the families arrived at the bar, Price, chairwomen of the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association came out of the bar.
She told them to leave and the families moved peacefully out of the car park, emotion clearly etched on their faces.
They comforted each other at what was clearly an emotional event.
Lawrence Rush, Whose wife Elizabeth was one of the 2 people killed in the August 1998 Real IRA blast, carried a banner saying: "Justice Before Forgiveness. May God forgive you - I cannot."
When asked what he hoped the protest would achieve he said: "We will want them to know achieve, he said: "We want them to know that we will be there to shadow them"
"Its time we faced up to those people, and here we are facing up to them now."
Orgainsers carried raffle prizes - cuddly toys and pictures - into the bar.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21- year old son Aiden was killed by the bomb, said: "It's important for us to be here and for the press to be here, particularly this week.
"This week has been very difficult for us with the second anniversary of the atrocity.
"And then these people hold a fundraising event in that same week.
"We had to let the world know where their money is going - it's going here," pointing to a picture of his tragic son.
There was no sign of guest speaker, American Martin Galvin, who was booked to appear at the evening.
By DEIRDRE O'DONOVAN
Bomber clashes with relatives
FAMILIES of Omagh bomb victims were confronted by convicted terrorists as they protested as they protested at a Real IRA fundraising event last night.
Six families and survivors of the horror blast were told leave the car park of the pub on the outskirts of West Belfast by Old Bailey bomber Marion Price.
The 32, County Sovereignty Committee, which has links to the Real IRA, was holding a night of 'music and craic' at Brennan's bar in Hannahtowns.
Omagh families' picketed the bar at around 7.30pm carrying posters bearing pictures of their loved ones. Underneath was written: "Murdered by the 32 County Sovereignty Committee/Real IRA."
But as soon as the families arrived at the bar, Price, chairwomen of the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association came out of the bar.
She told them to leave and the families moved peacefully out of the car park, emotion clearly etched on their faces.
They comforted each other at what was clearly an emotional event.
Lawrence Rush, Whose wife Elizabeth was one of the 2 people killed in the August 1998 Real IRA blast, carried a banner saying: "Justice Before Forgiveness. May God forgive you - I cannot."
When asked what he hoped the protest would achieve he said: "We will want them to know achieve, he said: "We want them to know that we will be there to shadow them"
"Its time we faced up to those people, and here we are facing up to them now."
Orgainsers carried raffle prizes - cuddly toys and pictures - into the bar.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21- year old son Aiden was killed by the bomb, said: "It's important for us to be here and for the press to be here, particularly this week.
"This week has been very difficult for us with the second anniversary of the atrocity.
"And then these people hold a fundraising event in that same week.
"We had to let the world know where their money is going - it's going here," pointing to a picture of his tragic son.
There was no sign of guest speaker, American Martin Galvin, who was booked to appear at the evening.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/113
Published Date: 19-Aug-00
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