FLORAL TRIBUTES TO MEMORY OF MASSACRE VICTIMS
Floral tributes to memory of massacre victims
FLORAL tributes left outside one of Omagh's High Street boutiques on Sunday morning quickly grew into a carpet of flowers - as heartbroken mourners came to silently remember those who died or were maimed in Saturday's massacre.
A single bouquet of flowers was poignantly left at 8.30am - but within a matter of hours the once blood stained footpath resembled a poignant Garden of Remembrance.
When our reporter visited the stark scene, after tea-time on Sunday, she was engulfed by an overwhelming cloud of eerie silence.
People had gathered, under an umbrella of helpless despair, as though looking for solace and comfort from the floral tributes they gazed into.
Many of the memorials contained messages of sympathy to the people of Omagh. Beside them lay a number of lit candles, with flames flickering in the wind.
The messages offered prayers to help them through one of the biggest disasters ever to befall Ireland's troubled times.
A small white teddy, left by a little girl, as I stood with the many more mourners who had gathered, simply said "I love you"
One of early bouquets was from the Committee of the Disabled , Community Action, Dundonald. It read "Our hearts go out to all the people who lost someone so precious. God Bless".
Floral messages of sympathy came from every corner of the North and many from the South. One from Desertmartin read: "I'm sorry" and continued with a religious verse "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will - heal their land".
Another tribute came from Castledawson: "Our heartfelt sympathy to all the innocent victims on this needless and senseless act of murder".
Another from Broughshane said: "To the people of Omagh - Our hearts and thoughts are with you at this terrible time."
In the hour that our reporter spent at the scene, a number of other corsages were left by mourners including one from a family from Coleraine. They had a cousin injured in the attack. They were returning home that night but felt they had to do something to "show that we care and are deeply saddened by this outrage" said one of the visiting ladies.
On Tuesday the flower tributes which had grown to unbelievable proportions were moved to Drumragh Bridge. There they joined the other floral arrangements left in the aftermath of the bomb.
All day yesterday (Wednesday) hundreds of mourners visited the scene of the bombing. Again, they transformed the footpaths of the town and alleyways of shops with scores of bouquets, sympathy cards, cuddly toys - each with their own touching message. Flowers were placed at many locations and revealed the world-side sympathy this disaster has evoked.
Meanwhile messages of sympathy flooded in from all parts of Ireland and Great Britain in the wake of Saturday's bombing.
As well as messages of support from neighbouring councils in Cookstown, Strabane, Dungannon and Fermanagh local authorities from throughout the Republic, England, Scotland and Wales sent their condolences.
Sporting groups, Trade Unions and numerous other organisations also joined in the chorus of sympathy and condemnation while books of condolence were opened at numerous locations throughout the North and South.
Letters of sympathy flooded in also to local papers (a selection of which are published elsewhere) as individuals and groups alike expressed their feelings of sadness and revulsion at Saturday's atrocity.
FLORAL tributes left outside one of Omagh's High Street boutiques on Sunday morning quickly grew into a carpet of flowers - as heartbroken mourners came to silently remember those who died or were maimed in Saturday's massacre.
A single bouquet of flowers was poignantly left at 8.30am - but within a matter of hours the once blood stained footpath resembled a poignant Garden of Remembrance.
When our reporter visited the stark scene, after tea-time on Sunday, she was engulfed by an overwhelming cloud of eerie silence.
People had gathered, under an umbrella of helpless despair, as though looking for solace and comfort from the floral tributes they gazed into.
Many of the memorials contained messages of sympathy to the people of Omagh. Beside them lay a number of lit candles, with flames flickering in the wind.
The messages offered prayers to help them through one of the biggest disasters ever to befall Ireland's troubled times.
A small white teddy, left by a little girl, as I stood with the many more mourners who had gathered, simply said "I love you"
One of early bouquets was from the Committee of the Disabled , Community Action, Dundonald. It read "Our hearts go out to all the people who lost someone so precious. God Bless".
Floral messages of sympathy came from every corner of the North and many from the South. One from Desertmartin read: "I'm sorry" and continued with a religious verse "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will - heal their land".
Another tribute came from Castledawson: "Our heartfelt sympathy to all the innocent victims on this needless and senseless act of murder".
Another from Broughshane said: "To the people of Omagh - Our hearts and thoughts are with you at this terrible time."
In the hour that our reporter spent at the scene, a number of other corsages were left by mourners including one from a family from Coleraine. They had a cousin injured in the attack. They were returning home that night but felt they had to do something to "show that we care and are deeply saddened by this outrage" said one of the visiting ladies.
On Tuesday the flower tributes which had grown to unbelievable proportions were moved to Drumragh Bridge. There they joined the other floral arrangements left in the aftermath of the bomb.
All day yesterday (Wednesday) hundreds of mourners visited the scene of the bombing. Again, they transformed the footpaths of the town and alleyways of shops with scores of bouquets, sympathy cards, cuddly toys - each with their own touching message. Flowers were placed at many locations and revealed the world-side sympathy this disaster has evoked.
Meanwhile messages of sympathy flooded in from all parts of Ireland and Great Britain in the wake of Saturday's bombing.
As well as messages of support from neighbouring councils in Cookstown, Strabane, Dungannon and Fermanagh local authorities from throughout the Republic, England, Scotland and Wales sent their condolences.
Sporting groups, Trade Unions and numerous other organisations also joined in the chorus of sympathy and condemnation while books of condolence were opened at numerous locations throughout the North and South.
Letters of sympathy flooded in also to local papers (a selection of which are published elsewhere) as individuals and groups alike expressed their feelings of sadness and revulsion at Saturday's atrocity.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0075
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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