THE WHOLE OF MY COUNTRY GRIEVES FOR YOUR LOSS - PESIDENT CLINTON
The whole of my country grieves for your loss - President Clinton
BY: BARRY O'DONNELL
World's most powerful man visits Omagh
THE President of the United States, Bill Clinton came to Omagh last Thursday to offer comfort and succour to those left bereaved or wounded by the Market Street atrocity and told them that the whole of his country grieved for their loss.
During a near three hour visit to the county town, the White House leader, who was accompanied by First Lady, Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, among others, witnessed for himself the devastation and carnage caused by the August 15th bombing- both in terms of the structural wreckage to the town and more poignantly the awful human loss.
During the first part of his trip the President held a private gathering in the town's leisure centre with relatives of the deceased and some of the wounded, before about one hour later his cavalcade journeyed the short distance to the site of the outrage.
In Market Street a memorial plaque was unveiled as an expression of America's sympathy and solidarity with the people of Omagh, and Mr Clinton then went on a brief walkabout in the town centre, receiving a resounding welcome in the process, before departing.
The announcement of President Clinton's stopover in Omagh, on the first day of his three day visit to Ireland, had caused a few discordant voices to be raised locally in the run-up to his arrival.
Aware of these sensitivities and the symbolism of a Presidential visit to the bomb-shattered town, the White House had taken soundings from Omagh District Council before making a final decision.
"We had a communication from the White House asking us if the people of Omagh wanted them to come. We said yes they would love them to come and pointed out that the council had just voted unanimously in favour of offering an invite," the local council's chief executive John McKinney pointed out. It is understood that it was Mr Clinton's own personal decision to go to the town to sympathise with the victims of the bombing, and to survey the site of the blast. As a rule the US President normally never goes to the scenes of such terrorist attacks as that is
viewed as giving credence to the perpetrators.
A massive security blanket was thrown over Omagh the evening before Mr Clinton's visit with US secret service personnel and RUC officers out in force on the streets. Roads leading into the town were cordoned off early in the morning and businesses in the town centre shut down for the day.
In the morning survivors and relatives of those who were killed assembled in Killyclogher from where they were bussed to the leisure centre to meet the President behind closed doors.
Many still bore evidence of their injuries, some confined to wheelchairs, and others were swathed in bandages or walking with the aid of crutches. Three of the injured, Una McGurk and sisters Laura and Nichola Hamilton had been released from hospital specially for the day.
This was a solemn and harrowing journey for many of the families as just under three weeks previously they had flocked to the leisure centre, which was established an a temporary incident centre in the immediate aftermath of the bomb, frantically searching for word of loved ones who may have been caught up in the blast.
Just before 4.00pm the Presidential helicopter landed in Lisanelly Army Camp and Mr Clinton and Mr Blair were immediately whisked to the leisure centre. When they arrived on the podium at the centre's gymnasium the party was warmly applauded by the 700 or so guests in attendance.
Both world leaders, in their separate addresses, sought to reach out to their grief-stricken audience. They said that words were of little comfort at a time like this but vowed to work for a better future not just for Omagh but the whole of the island.
Among the members of the clergy who had gathered
for the private meeting was local priest Fr. Kevin Mullan. He said that although some people may have had misgivings about the Presidential visit, the overwhelming consensus of the families was that it had been therapeutic.
"I obviously haven't been speaking with all the families, but those that I have, did welcome President Clinton's presence. The fact that he was there talking with the injured and the bereaved and recognising their pain and suffering, helped to ease the hurting for a little while anyway."
Fr Mullan stated that despite the omnipresent secret service staff, the occasion had still been quite informal and unobtrusive with the presidential party taking time to stop and talk with the victims families and the wounded.
"For that hour President Clinton belonged to the people of Omagh. He even crouched down on the floor himself at one stage to chat with a little girl who had been injured."
As well as drawing comfort from the support and encouragement offered by the most powerful political figure in the world, Fr Mullan also believed that the relatives drew strength from each other's company.
"When the curtain was drawn back and President Clinton appeared everybody stood up and clapped. We were clapping him but we were also clapping ourselves for taking the first tentative steps back into life and emerging from the darkness."
"When we gathered in Killyclogher hall before travelling to the leisure centre there was a great feeling of togetherness and camaraderie among the families with the injured and bereaved talking with each other and asking how they were coping."
John McKinney, the local council's chief executive, who greeted the President at the bomb site, also believed that doubts about Clinton's visit had proven to be unfounded.
"Mr Clinton met with a large proportion of the families of the bereaved and those who were injured who were genuinely pleased that he had come along.
"When you look at the thousands who came into the town under the most trying of circumstances you can see that the people of Omagh took great solace from the Presidential visit and far greater encouragement to go forward."
BY: BARRY O'DONNELL
World's most powerful man visits Omagh
THE President of the United States, Bill Clinton came to Omagh last Thursday to offer comfort and succour to those left bereaved or wounded by the Market Street atrocity and told them that the whole of his country grieved for their loss.
During a near three hour visit to the county town, the White House leader, who was accompanied by First Lady, Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, among others, witnessed for himself the devastation and carnage caused by the August 15th bombing- both in terms of the structural wreckage to the town and more poignantly the awful human loss.
During the first part of his trip the President held a private gathering in the town's leisure centre with relatives of the deceased and some of the wounded, before about one hour later his cavalcade journeyed the short distance to the site of the outrage.
In Market Street a memorial plaque was unveiled as an expression of America's sympathy and solidarity with the people of Omagh, and Mr Clinton then went on a brief walkabout in the town centre, receiving a resounding welcome in the process, before departing.
The announcement of President Clinton's stopover in Omagh, on the first day of his three day visit to Ireland, had caused a few discordant voices to be raised locally in the run-up to his arrival.
Aware of these sensitivities and the symbolism of a Presidential visit to the bomb-shattered town, the White House had taken soundings from Omagh District Council before making a final decision.
"We had a communication from the White House asking us if the people of Omagh wanted them to come. We said yes they would love them to come and pointed out that the council had just voted unanimously in favour of offering an invite," the local council's chief executive John McKinney pointed out. It is understood that it was Mr Clinton's own personal decision to go to the town to sympathise with the victims of the bombing, and to survey the site of the blast. As a rule the US President normally never goes to the scenes of such terrorist attacks as that is
viewed as giving credence to the perpetrators.
A massive security blanket was thrown over Omagh the evening before Mr Clinton's visit with US secret service personnel and RUC officers out in force on the streets. Roads leading into the town were cordoned off early in the morning and businesses in the town centre shut down for the day.
In the morning survivors and relatives of those who were killed assembled in Killyclogher from where they were bussed to the leisure centre to meet the President behind closed doors.
Many still bore evidence of their injuries, some confined to wheelchairs, and others were swathed in bandages or walking with the aid of crutches. Three of the injured, Una McGurk and sisters Laura and Nichola Hamilton had been released from hospital specially for the day.
This was a solemn and harrowing journey for many of the families as just under three weeks previously they had flocked to the leisure centre, which was established an a temporary incident centre in the immediate aftermath of the bomb, frantically searching for word of loved ones who may have been caught up in the blast.
Just before 4.00pm the Presidential helicopter landed in Lisanelly Army Camp and Mr Clinton and Mr Blair were immediately whisked to the leisure centre. When they arrived on the podium at the centre's gymnasium the party was warmly applauded by the 700 or so guests in attendance.
Both world leaders, in their separate addresses, sought to reach out to their grief-stricken audience. They said that words were of little comfort at a time like this but vowed to work for a better future not just for Omagh but the whole of the island.
Among the members of the clergy who had gathered
for the private meeting was local priest Fr. Kevin Mullan. He said that although some people may have had misgivings about the Presidential visit, the overwhelming consensus of the families was that it had been therapeutic.
"I obviously haven't been speaking with all the families, but those that I have, did welcome President Clinton's presence. The fact that he was there talking with the injured and the bereaved and recognising their pain and suffering, helped to ease the hurting for a little while anyway."
Fr Mullan stated that despite the omnipresent secret service staff, the occasion had still been quite informal and unobtrusive with the presidential party taking time to stop and talk with the victims families and the wounded.
"For that hour President Clinton belonged to the people of Omagh. He even crouched down on the floor himself at one stage to chat with a little girl who had been injured."
As well as drawing comfort from the support and encouragement offered by the most powerful political figure in the world, Fr Mullan also believed that the relatives drew strength from each other's company.
"When the curtain was drawn back and President Clinton appeared everybody stood up and clapped. We were clapping him but we were also clapping ourselves for taking the first tentative steps back into life and emerging from the darkness."
"When we gathered in Killyclogher hall before travelling to the leisure centre there was a great feeling of togetherness and camaraderie among the families with the injured and bereaved talking with each other and asking how they were coping."
John McKinney, the local council's chief executive, who greeted the President at the bomb site, also believed that doubts about Clinton's visit had proven to be unfounded.
"Mr Clinton met with a large proportion of the families of the bereaved and those who were injured who were genuinely pleased that he had come along.
"When you look at the thousands who came into the town under the most trying of circumstances you can see that the people of Omagh took great solace from the Presidential visit and far greater encouragement to go forward."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0391
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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