MOTHER DESCRIBES HOW SEARCH FOR DAUGHTER ENDED IN JOY
Mother describes how search for daughter ended in joy
AN OMAGH MOTHER told how she searched the debris of Market Street for the yellow watch of her 11year old daughter, convinced that she had been killed in the explosion.
Miraculously, the story of the McCrory family did not, like so many others, turn to one of disaster despite the fact that Kirsty was standing just feet away from the carbomb when it exploded.
She was found alive and well two hours later, virtually unscathed physically, and was reunited with her relieved parents, Teresa and Michael, who had spent a harrowing two hours believing their daughter was dead.
"I really feared the worst. I thought she was dead or maimed and I sifted through the rubble looking for an arm that had a yellow watch on it.
"I remember the cracking and crunching of glass and people being carried out of doors into anything that had wheels.
11 year old Kirsty reliving the nightmare of the explosion told the "Herald" how she had been standing at Nicholl and Shields shop when the bomb exploded.
"I was just crying for my mummy and I wanted the family to be back together at home."
Two women, Nora McGale and Vera Corey, who noticed Kirsty in a hysterical state took her under their wing and led her to safety at Campsie.
Teresa was helped in her desperate search by Kirsty's teacher, Norman Davis, who she had met by chance in the aftermath of the explosion.
She told how she did not see the horrific sights of bodies and badly injured people on the ground as Norman had advised her not to look down.
The nightmare began on Saturday afternoon when Teresa went into town with her three daughters and mother to buy shoes for Kirsty going back to school.
Having bought the shoes she sent Kirsty back up to her father's shop at John Street to leave them off and had arranged to meet at Supervalu.
But minutes later the bombscare alert began and Teresa, her baby girls Katrina, two and a half and Lauren, 18 months, and her 80 year old mother Kathleen Kelly were forced to hurry to safety.
They made their way to the Royal Arms entry and onto Iceland. It was then that Teresa began to worry about Kirsty knowing that they had arranged to meet at Supervalu.
"I made my way to the shop and when I met Mickey I realised that Kirsty was not there. I walked down the town but could not do anything as no-one was allowed down.
In desperation she gave Kirsty's description to a policeman but the airwaves of the police radios were jammed. He promised to give out the description as soon as the radios were clear.
"Then the bomb went off. I was totally frantic I just did not know what to do and all I could think about was that Kirsty would be panicking on her own.
Kirsty's parents and brother, Deane, decided to search for her.
Teresa made her way back to Iceland where her mother and two young children were waiting. In the panic and terror Mrs Kelly had suffered an angina attack.
"I had to help my mother and then wait an agonising twenty minutes until she was able to walk again.
Teresa was helped in her desperate search by Kirsty's teacher, Norman Davis, who she had met by chance in the aftermath of the explosion.
She told how she did not see the horrific sights of bodies and badly injured people on the ground as Norman had advised her not to look down.
"We walked to the bottom of the town but there was no sign of her and we were told to go out to Casualty. I was not allowed back up to get my mother and children so we had to drive the long way around again."
After leaving her mother and children in the care of Norman's wife they set out to go to Casualty at the hospital to find out the fate of Kirsty.
"It seemed like such a long journey. It seemed like such a long time as we waited at the traffic lights. When we turned into the entrance at the County we met Mickey and he told us Kirsty was okay.
"I was so relieved. I feared that my daughter was dead. Thankfully, she is alive but it is a terrible experience for any 11 year old child to have to go through."
AN OMAGH MOTHER told how she searched the debris of Market Street for the yellow watch of her 11year old daughter, convinced that she had been killed in the explosion.
Miraculously, the story of the McCrory family did not, like so many others, turn to one of disaster despite the fact that Kirsty was standing just feet away from the carbomb when it exploded.
She was found alive and well two hours later, virtually unscathed physically, and was reunited with her relieved parents, Teresa and Michael, who had spent a harrowing two hours believing their daughter was dead.
"I really feared the worst. I thought she was dead or maimed and I sifted through the rubble looking for an arm that had a yellow watch on it.
"I remember the cracking and crunching of glass and people being carried out of doors into anything that had wheels.
11 year old Kirsty reliving the nightmare of the explosion told the "Herald" how she had been standing at Nicholl and Shields shop when the bomb exploded.
"I was just crying for my mummy and I wanted the family to be back together at home."
Two women, Nora McGale and Vera Corey, who noticed Kirsty in a hysterical state took her under their wing and led her to safety at Campsie.
Teresa was helped in her desperate search by Kirsty's teacher, Norman Davis, who she had met by chance in the aftermath of the explosion.
She told how she did not see the horrific sights of bodies and badly injured people on the ground as Norman had advised her not to look down.
The nightmare began on Saturday afternoon when Teresa went into town with her three daughters and mother to buy shoes for Kirsty going back to school.
Having bought the shoes she sent Kirsty back up to her father's shop at John Street to leave them off and had arranged to meet at Supervalu.
But minutes later the bombscare alert began and Teresa, her baby girls Katrina, two and a half and Lauren, 18 months, and her 80 year old mother Kathleen Kelly were forced to hurry to safety.
They made their way to the Royal Arms entry and onto Iceland. It was then that Teresa began to worry about Kirsty knowing that they had arranged to meet at Supervalu.
"I made my way to the shop and when I met Mickey I realised that Kirsty was not there. I walked down the town but could not do anything as no-one was allowed down.
In desperation she gave Kirsty's description to a policeman but the airwaves of the police radios were jammed. He promised to give out the description as soon as the radios were clear.
"Then the bomb went off. I was totally frantic I just did not know what to do and all I could think about was that Kirsty would be panicking on her own.
Kirsty's parents and brother, Deane, decided to search for her.
Teresa made her way back to Iceland where her mother and two young children were waiting. In the panic and terror Mrs Kelly had suffered an angina attack.
"I had to help my mother and then wait an agonising twenty minutes until she was able to walk again.
Teresa was helped in her desperate search by Kirsty's teacher, Norman Davis, who she had met by chance in the aftermath of the explosion.
She told how she did not see the horrific sights of bodies and badly injured people on the ground as Norman had advised her not to look down.
"We walked to the bottom of the town but there was no sign of her and we were told to go out to Casualty. I was not allowed back up to get my mother and children so we had to drive the long way around again."
After leaving her mother and children in the care of Norman's wife they set out to go to Casualty at the hospital to find out the fate of Kirsty.
"It seemed like such a long journey. It seemed like such a long time as we waited at the traffic lights. When we turned into the entrance at the County we met Mickey and he told us Kirsty was okay.
"I was so relieved. I feared that my daughter was dead. Thankfully, she is alive but it is a terrible experience for any 11 year old child to have to go through."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0004
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
Related Images
