IMAGES WILL REMAIN WITH ME FOREVER - FR KEVIN MULLAN
Images will remain with me forever - Fr. Kevin Mullan
LOCAL curate, Fr Kevin Mullan has said the sights which met him on a warm Saturday afternoon in Market Street will remain with him forever.
The Strathroy priest was one of the first on the scene and imparted the Last Rites to many of the dead and dying.
During the difficult hours which ensued, he was also called upon to accompany relatives as they attempted to identify bodies at the make-shift mortuary in Lisanelly army camp.
He added that he would never forget the look on the faces of the children whose bodies lay mangled among the rubble.
Together with local-born curate, Fr Donal Gillespie and Fr Eddie Deeney, a native of Donegal who happened to be passing the scene, Fr Mullan attempted to bring comfort to survivors.
"It was very difficult to make any real sense of things when I arrived at the scene.
"It was only after a few minutes it dawned on me there was actually someone dead. Then everywhere you looked there were dead bodies.
"Some people were lying in shop windows. At first I thought they were tailors dummies.
"At that stage I didn't actually recognise anyone I knew, it was so difficult to take in what I was witnessing. Whatever you saw, you just prayed and blessed and then moved to the next.
"It"s only later you realise you may have known some of the victims" he said.
Fr Mullan was on hospital duty on Saturday afternoon but as all pagers and phones were down, he had no means of making contact with either hospital authorities or other members of clergy in the town.
"I assumed some of the other priests had already made their way to the hospital, so I remained at the scene" he said.
Throughout the remainder of the weekend, Fr Mullan visited victims in Road as they identified their loved ones.
"Young Aidan Gallagher was in town with his best friend. His friend was badly injured and is now in the Royal Victoria Hospital, but he doesn't know yet his best friend is dead.
"Young and old alike were mown down. It was tragic just to look at the wee faces of the children as they lay there motionless.
"Another young couple who were due to get married in Drumragh Church next Saturday were also among those seriously injured.
"I called at the bride-to-be's home this morning. No-one was at home, but it was pitiful to look through the windows at wedding presents neatly laid out, and a candle burning just beside them for the injured couple" added Fr Mullan.
LOCAL curate, Fr Kevin Mullan has said the sights which met him on a warm Saturday afternoon in Market Street will remain with him forever.
The Strathroy priest was one of the first on the scene and imparted the Last Rites to many of the dead and dying.
During the difficult hours which ensued, he was also called upon to accompany relatives as they attempted to identify bodies at the make-shift mortuary in Lisanelly army camp.
He added that he would never forget the look on the faces of the children whose bodies lay mangled among the rubble.
Together with local-born curate, Fr Donal Gillespie and Fr Eddie Deeney, a native of Donegal who happened to be passing the scene, Fr Mullan attempted to bring comfort to survivors.
"It was very difficult to make any real sense of things when I arrived at the scene.
"It was only after a few minutes it dawned on me there was actually someone dead. Then everywhere you looked there were dead bodies.
"Some people were lying in shop windows. At first I thought they were tailors dummies.
"At that stage I didn't actually recognise anyone I knew, it was so difficult to take in what I was witnessing. Whatever you saw, you just prayed and blessed and then moved to the next.
"It"s only later you realise you may have known some of the victims" he said.
Fr Mullan was on hospital duty on Saturday afternoon but as all pagers and phones were down, he had no means of making contact with either hospital authorities or other members of clergy in the town.
"I assumed some of the other priests had already made their way to the hospital, so I remained at the scene" he said.
Throughout the remainder of the weekend, Fr Mullan visited victims in Road as they identified their loved ones.
"Young Aidan Gallagher was in town with his best friend. His friend was badly injured and is now in the Royal Victoria Hospital, but he doesn't know yet his best friend is dead.
"Young and old alike were mown down. It was tragic just to look at the wee faces of the children as they lay there motionless.
"Another young couple who were due to get married in Drumragh Church next Saturday were also among those seriously injured.
"I called at the bride-to-be's home this morning. No-one was at home, but it was pitiful to look through the windows at wedding presents neatly laid out, and a candle burning just beside them for the injured couple" added Fr Mullan.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0010
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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