PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY UNVEIL PLAQUE IN HONOUR OF THOSE WHO DIED
President and First Lady unveil plaque in honour of those who died
Clinton visibly touched by emotion of occasion
BY: BARRY O'DONNELL
THE US President went to the heart of Omagh's darkness last Thursday to dedicate a plaque to the victims of the Market Street horror.
Just moments after Bill Clinton concluded his emotional visit to the town's leisure centre, where he met with survivors of the blast and a large number of the bereaved and injured, the presidential cavalcade made the short journey to the site of the massacre.
Along the way the stream of limousines,which included Prime Minister Tony Blair's entourage, passed the mass of floral tributes which have grown in number by the day along one side of the bridge on Drumragh Avenue.
Appearing visibly distressed after having just listened to the victims' harrowing tales, the sombre-faced President, together with a reflective looking Prime Minister, were greeted by Omagh District Council's Chief Executive, John McKinney, as a crowd of about 2,000 watched on from behind security barriers in Campsie.
Then with the gutted remnants of SD Kells bomb-ravaged clothing store forming a poignant backdrop, the White House and Downing Street chiefs pulled back the black drapes to unveil the silver coloured plaque.
They were accompanied by Mr Blair's wife, Cherie, and First Lady, Hillary Clinton who laid three white carnations at the foot of the plinth.
The plinth was positioned in the centre of the filled-in crater where the bombers had parked the maroon Vauxhall Cavalier car that fateful August 15th day.
The plaque will now rest temporarily at Omagh council offices while the local authority engages in a widespread consultation exercise before determining an appropriate permanent resting place for the memorial.
Its inscription reads:- "In remembrance of the men,women and children who died in the terrorist bombing of August 15th 1998. May their memory serve to foster peace and reconciliation". The Clintons' names and the date of their historic visit are on the bottom.
Having performed the unveiling ceremony, the two leaders grimly surveyed the damaged buildings and boarded up shop fronts which surrounded them.
Flanked by the ever-vigilant secret service agents Mr Clinton and Mr Blair then proceeded by foot up Market Street. As they walked shoulder to shoulder in the early evening sunshine the Prime Minister, who had visited Omagh just a week before, could be seen advising the President on the various features of the town centre.
Just as they had done twelve days earlier for the Act of Remembrance service, the people of Omagh and its outlying districts thronged High Street, with hundreds having taken up ideal vantage points hours beforehand as they sought to catch a glimpse of the most powerful political figure in the world.
Given the tragic circumstances which had caused Omagh to be unwittingly propelled onto Mr Clinton's itinerary at the eleventh hour, there was none of the razzamatazz or fever pitch excitement with which a Presidential visit would be associated.
But nevertheless after three weeks of despair and agony, smiles were at last back on people's faces and cheers resonated from Omagh's main street as hundreds sought to clasp hands with their distinguished visitors during the walkabout.
At the Scarffes Entry junction a group of 1,500 invited guests had assembled in a special enclosure. Among them were members of the emergency services who had tended to the injured and dying, representatives of the community and voluntary sector, local council and political figures, as well as school colleagues and friends of the deceased.
They all enthusiastically welcomed the presidential party, a party which also included Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam, Senator George Mitchell and the US Ambassador to Great Britain, Richard Lader.
The First Lady, escorted by Mr McKinney, progressed towards the crowd who had assembled in High Street and told local people she was "only too delighted to have come".
Having spent around twenty five minutes pressing the flesh the President then arrived outside Wattersons drapery store, which had lost three members of staff in the bombing.
The two leaders, accompanied by their wives, laid wreaths outside the entrance to the premises, before pausing momentarily to reflect and to read the public information posters regarding the atrocity which the RUC have issued to retailers in the town.
The President and PM then spent a moment or two looking at the hundreds of prayerful offerings and bouquets of flowers at the shop front before moving over to greet well wishers who had gathered in their thousands below the Court House.
Following a brief wave and final exchange with John McKinney, the President's cavalcade moved off to Lisanelly Camp just after 6.20pm, where he was whisked by helicopter to his next port of call in Armagh.
Clinton visibly touched by emotion of occasion
BY: BARRY O'DONNELL
THE US President went to the heart of Omagh's darkness last Thursday to dedicate a plaque to the victims of the Market Street horror.
Just moments after Bill Clinton concluded his emotional visit to the town's leisure centre, where he met with survivors of the blast and a large number of the bereaved and injured, the presidential cavalcade made the short journey to the site of the massacre.
Along the way the stream of limousines,which included Prime Minister Tony Blair's entourage, passed the mass of floral tributes which have grown in number by the day along one side of the bridge on Drumragh Avenue.
Appearing visibly distressed after having just listened to the victims' harrowing tales, the sombre-faced President, together with a reflective looking Prime Minister, were greeted by Omagh District Council's Chief Executive, John McKinney, as a crowd of about 2,000 watched on from behind security barriers in Campsie.
Then with the gutted remnants of SD Kells bomb-ravaged clothing store forming a poignant backdrop, the White House and Downing Street chiefs pulled back the black drapes to unveil the silver coloured plaque.
They were accompanied by Mr Blair's wife, Cherie, and First Lady, Hillary Clinton who laid three white carnations at the foot of the plinth.
The plinth was positioned in the centre of the filled-in crater where the bombers had parked the maroon Vauxhall Cavalier car that fateful August 15th day.
The plaque will now rest temporarily at Omagh council offices while the local authority engages in a widespread consultation exercise before determining an appropriate permanent resting place for the memorial.
Its inscription reads:- "In remembrance of the men,women and children who died in the terrorist bombing of August 15th 1998. May their memory serve to foster peace and reconciliation". The Clintons' names and the date of their historic visit are on the bottom.
Having performed the unveiling ceremony, the two leaders grimly surveyed the damaged buildings and boarded up shop fronts which surrounded them.
Flanked by the ever-vigilant secret service agents Mr Clinton and Mr Blair then proceeded by foot up Market Street. As they walked shoulder to shoulder in the early evening sunshine the Prime Minister, who had visited Omagh just a week before, could be seen advising the President on the various features of the town centre.
Just as they had done twelve days earlier for the Act of Remembrance service, the people of Omagh and its outlying districts thronged High Street, with hundreds having taken up ideal vantage points hours beforehand as they sought to catch a glimpse of the most powerful political figure in the world.
Given the tragic circumstances which had caused Omagh to be unwittingly propelled onto Mr Clinton's itinerary at the eleventh hour, there was none of the razzamatazz or fever pitch excitement with which a Presidential visit would be associated.
But nevertheless after three weeks of despair and agony, smiles were at last back on people's faces and cheers resonated from Omagh's main street as hundreds sought to clasp hands with their distinguished visitors during the walkabout.
At the Scarffes Entry junction a group of 1,500 invited guests had assembled in a special enclosure. Among them were members of the emergency services who had tended to the injured and dying, representatives of the community and voluntary sector, local council and political figures, as well as school colleagues and friends of the deceased.
They all enthusiastically welcomed the presidential party, a party which also included Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam, Senator George Mitchell and the US Ambassador to Great Britain, Richard Lader.
The First Lady, escorted by Mr McKinney, progressed towards the crowd who had assembled in High Street and told local people she was "only too delighted to have come".
Having spent around twenty five minutes pressing the flesh the President then arrived outside Wattersons drapery store, which had lost three members of staff in the bombing.
The two leaders, accompanied by their wives, laid wreaths outside the entrance to the premises, before pausing momentarily to reflect and to read the public information posters regarding the atrocity which the RUC have issued to retailers in the town.
The President and PM then spent a moment or two looking at the hundreds of prayerful offerings and bouquets of flowers at the shop front before moving over to greet well wishers who had gathered in their thousands below the Court House.
Following a brief wave and final exchange with John McKinney, the President's cavalcade moved off to Lisanelly Camp just after 6.20pm, where he was whisked by helicopter to his next port of call in Armagh.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0361
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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