BABY SEEN AS SIGN OF HOPE
Birth of baby seen as sign of hope
New life comes in the wake of the horror of Omagh atrocity
NEW LIFE has been born from the darkness and despair of the Omagh atrocity -with the birth seven days ago of a miracle baby girl.
Baby Chloe Emery, who is one week old today, survived the massive car bomb, when her pregnant mother miraculously escaped death in the explosion.
Mum, 21 year old Nicola had been in town shopping when the bomb exploded, claiming the lives of 28 innocent people and unborn twins.
Nicola, from Campsie Avenue, escaped with lacerations to her legs and was rushed to hospital after doctors and nurses feared for her baby's life. But last Thursday she gave birth to the 7lb 6oz baby girl in the South Tyrone hospital.
But what should have been the happiest day in any mother's life was tinged with sadness as Nicola remembered the unborn Monaghan twins and their mum, Avril, murdered in the bomb.
30 year old Avril, seven months pregnant, had been in town with her mother, Mary Grimes, and 18 month old daughter, Maura. All three generations were wiped out by the bombers.
Speaking from her hospital bed where she cuddles her little miracle, Nicola Emery said "While I'm happy, I have mixed feelings because I can't stop thinking about Avril and all the others.
"It must be so hard for her husband and the rest of her family to have lost her and her twins," said the new mum.
And she says of her own baby's future, "I want more than anything to see her grow up in a a world, free of violence. I feel so happy that she is all right. I hope she can grow up and there will be no violence or terrorism, I just want her to be safe."
New dad, 17 year old Michael Mulholland - who comes from Clogher - said his hope was also that his baby daughter could grow up in a different world.
"I hope that the wee girl can grow up without any violence, without bombs, and can be safe."
Both Nicola and Michael had been in town on the day of the bomb. Nicola had been shopping with her mum, Valerie, for baby clothes and
had been in the Carlton restaurant when the bombscare alert went out.
As she left with her mum she met Michael and they walked to Market Street, and towards the bomb.
Nicola has crossed the road, so avoiding the main force of the blast because she was standing behind a wall.
"I was very scared at the time. I thought I was going to lose the baby. But I was also worried about my mum."
Nicola suffered leg injuries in the blast but her mother was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital with severe leg injuries.
Speaking this week Nicola told how she rang her mum after the baby was born.
"I phoned her up as soon as I had the baby and she said 'good girl, that was the weight you were when you were born."
Tragically the South Tyrone Hospital was the same hospital where Avril Monaghan should have been going to give birth to her twins.
Consultant Ian Hunter said "Sadly those twins will never come into this world. All babies are special but in these circumstances this baby is even more special.
Nursing supervisor, Robert Sowney said "the arrival of this beautiful baby, born out of the rubble of Omagh, is the first ray of sunshine amid all the darkness.
"She is a glimmer of light in all that has happened. Nicola could so easily have been one of the dead.
"We hope this baby will grow up and never experience the scenes witnessed by her mother and grandmother."
Nicola Emery and baby Chloe were released from hospital on Tuesday.
New life comes in the wake of the horror of Omagh atrocity
NEW LIFE has been born from the darkness and despair of the Omagh atrocity -with the birth seven days ago of a miracle baby girl.
Baby Chloe Emery, who is one week old today, survived the massive car bomb, when her pregnant mother miraculously escaped death in the explosion.
Mum, 21 year old Nicola had been in town shopping when the bomb exploded, claiming the lives of 28 innocent people and unborn twins.
Nicola, from Campsie Avenue, escaped with lacerations to her legs and was rushed to hospital after doctors and nurses feared for her baby's life. But last Thursday she gave birth to the 7lb 6oz baby girl in the South Tyrone hospital.
But what should have been the happiest day in any mother's life was tinged with sadness as Nicola remembered the unborn Monaghan twins and their mum, Avril, murdered in the bomb.
30 year old Avril, seven months pregnant, had been in town with her mother, Mary Grimes, and 18 month old daughter, Maura. All three generations were wiped out by the bombers.
Speaking from her hospital bed where she cuddles her little miracle, Nicola Emery said "While I'm happy, I have mixed feelings because I can't stop thinking about Avril and all the others.
"It must be so hard for her husband and the rest of her family to have lost her and her twins," said the new mum.
And she says of her own baby's future, "I want more than anything to see her grow up in a a world, free of violence. I feel so happy that she is all right. I hope she can grow up and there will be no violence or terrorism, I just want her to be safe."
New dad, 17 year old Michael Mulholland - who comes from Clogher - said his hope was also that his baby daughter could grow up in a different world.
"I hope that the wee girl can grow up without any violence, without bombs, and can be safe."
Both Nicola and Michael had been in town on the day of the bomb. Nicola had been shopping with her mum, Valerie, for baby clothes and
had been in the Carlton restaurant when the bombscare alert went out.
As she left with her mum she met Michael and they walked to Market Street, and towards the bomb.
Nicola has crossed the road, so avoiding the main force of the blast because she was standing behind a wall.
"I was very scared at the time. I thought I was going to lose the baby. But I was also worried about my mum."
Nicola suffered leg injuries in the blast but her mother was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital with severe leg injuries.
Speaking this week Nicola told how she rang her mum after the baby was born.
"I phoned her up as soon as I had the baby and she said 'good girl, that was the weight you were when you were born."
Tragically the South Tyrone Hospital was the same hospital where Avril Monaghan should have been going to give birth to her twins.
Consultant Ian Hunter said "Sadly those twins will never come into this world. All babies are special but in these circumstances this baby is even more special.
Nursing supervisor, Robert Sowney said "the arrival of this beautiful baby, born out of the rubble of Omagh, is the first ray of sunshine amid all the darkness.
"She is a glimmer of light in all that has happened. Nicola could so easily have been one of the dead.
"We hope this baby will grow up and never experience the scenes witnessed by her mother and grandmother."
Nicola Emery and baby Chloe were released from hospital on Tuesday.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0159
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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