UH/0457

TIME LINE...A look back at a momentous year

SATURDAY 15th AUGUST 1998 - 3.10PM
500lb Car Bomb explodes close to the junction of Market Street and Dublin Road. In all, Thirty one people, including two unborn children, are killed and hundreds are injured in the explosion. Saturday, a busy shopping day, was savaged by the worst act of terrorism in over thirty years of violence.
Among the dead are local people, children from Buncrana and visitors from Spain.
A children's parade was due to pass the spot at the time of the explosion, it was delayed at its outset.

SUNDAY 18TH AUGUST 1998
President Mary McAleese visits Omagh. She arrived at Omagh Leisure Centre just minutes after Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness enter the building.
She labels the bombers as a 'recalcitrant manic minority who are out of control.'

MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 1998
Five people are arrested during a dawn raid, among them is the son of Omagh councillor Francis Mackey, a member of the Thirty-Two County Sovereignty Movement. They are questioned at Castlereagh.

TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST 1998
Prince Charles pays a visit to Omagh, he calls at Lisanelly Army Barracks which was used as a temporary morgue. He says: "The least I can do is come here and show the sympathy and support, especially to those who cared for the injured like the doctors, nurses, security forces and emergency services."

TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST 1998
Local singer, Dominic Kirwan, leads the singing at a candle-lit vigil at Drumragh Car Park which is attended by over 5,000 people.

WED 19TH AUGUST 1998
Pope John Paul II sends a letter to the people of Omagh in which he expressed an ardent hope that the bombers will not prevail. In the letter he says: "I have shared the shock and dismay of all people of goodwill at the terrible violence committed against the population of Omagh. May God fill you all with joy and peace so that you may abound in hope."

THURSDAY 20TH AUGUST 1998
Eight funerals take place. On the same day, Baby Chloe Emery is born. Mother Nicola was shopping in the town when the bomb exploded. She was rushed to hospital, medical staff fearing for the life of her unborn child.

SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 1998
Tens of thousands pack the centre of Omagh for the afternoon's Act of Prayerful Reflection. They stand in silence at ten minutes past three as they remember the dead.
Among the attenders are Mary McAleese, Bertie Ahern, John Prescott and David Trimble.

TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 1998
Prime Minister, Tony Blair visits Omagh and tells local people that 'sympathy and solidarity' for them was felt throughout the world. He is visibly moved by the scenes he observes and says the whole of the world shares the town's grief. Mr Blair pays tribute to the police, emergency services and hospital staff for their courage in coping with the aftermath of the bomb.

THURS 3RD SEPTEMBER 1998
President Bill Clinton visits Omagh. He visits the town's Leisure Centre then travels to the sight of the bomb to unveil a plaque outside the gutted remnants of SD Kells clothing store. President Clinton tells the people of Omagh that the whole of his country grieves for their loss.

MONDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER 1998
Three weeks after the bomb the 'Real IRA' announce a ceasefire.

THURS 24TH SEPTEMBER 1998
Twelve people are in custody for questioning in relation to the Omagh Bomb. Detectives in Armagh and Dublin confirm that the arrests, made on both sides of the border, relate to the bombing.

MON 28TH SEPTEMBER 1998
Snooker superstar, Jimmy White, plays an exhibition match in Omagh Leisure Centre in aid of the Omagh Relief Fund.

TUES 29TH SEPTEMBER 1998
The Omagh Fund receives its official launch. The fund is described by one of the Trustees as 'the most emotional global fund of all time.' The Fund stands at £165,00 but has over £1.5 million pledged and will be administered by a group of voluntary trustees.

TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER 1998
A football match is played at Derry City's Brandywell stadium between a Derry City select side and a Mick McCarthy select XI.
Included in the line ups are David Ginola, Shay Given and Packie Bonner.
Omagh Town's Mark Donnelly scored the last goal of the game in front of the 8,000 capacity crowd.

SUNDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 1998
Over 1,000 people gather in Omagh to walk behind a wooden cross, along a route from the site of the bomb to the Tyrone County Hospital.
The special prayer service organised by the Omagh Churches Forum began many miles away in Drogheda. Omagh Parish Priest, Michael Keaveney and Methodist Minister Rev Peter Good are among a number of clergy in attendance.

MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 1998
Consultant Surgeon, Dominic Pinto, who led the Tyrone County Hospital medical team's response in the aftermath of the bomb is named one of Ireland's "People of the Year".
In a ceremony in Dublin's Burlington Hotel, Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern praises Mr Pinto's courage during what he describes as his "Darkest hour as Taoiseach."

SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 1998
The dead are remembered during the Remembrance Day commemoration service in Omagh. Relatives of those killed in the bomb, together with those injured in the atrocity attend the service at the town's cenotaph.

THURS 19TH NOVEMBER 1998
Superstar Boy band Boyzone pay a surprise visit to Omagh. They visit Claire Gallagher, a 15-year-old schoolgirl who was blinded in the bomb.
The group give Claire an early Christmas present with their visit and give her a state-of-the-art music system.

FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 1998
Irish television institution, The Late Late Show tells the story of Omagh three months on and is an emotional experience for the audience and viewers. The 420 members of the audience are from Omagh and Buncrana.

THURS 26TH NOVEMBER 1998
Omagh's Christmas lights are turned on in a ceremony signalling the first tentative step towards a new beginning for the town.
During the ceremony, Daniel O'Donnell says he hopes his presence brings some form of happiness in the run-up to Christmas.

MONDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 1998
Manchester United striker, Andy Cole, arrives in Omagh to offer support and solidarity to the victims of the bomb.
The England international is besieged by fans wherever he goes throughout the day.
Andy was presented with the Manchester United Supporters' Club, Omagh Branch Player of the Year award on the day of the bomb.

FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER 1998
An Omagh woman who was caught in the bomb gives birth to a baby girl. 25-year-old Karen Armstrong gave birth to baby Lucy at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Karen describes her baby as a miracle.

SUNDAY 20TH DECEMBER 1998
Thousands take part in a special candlelight vigil in memory of the bomb victims. The "Walk of Light", organised by the towns, churches forum, ends with a cross community carol service.

JANUARY 1ST 1999
Three men of valour who played key roles in the immediate aftermath of the bombing have been honoured in the New Year's Day list. An OBE has been awarded to Clive Russell, Consultant Physician and Medical Director for the Sperrin Lakeland Trust. A similar award also goes to John McKinney, Chief Executive of Omagh District Council, and an MBE goes to Sergeant Philip Marshall, who directed emergency services at the horrendous scene.

JANUARY 2 1999
Pop idols Boyzone play two special gigs at Omagh Leisure Centre. Among the 2,000 in attendance were people who were left injured or bereaved by the bombing.

JANUARY 14 1999
Tyrone expatriates in New York present the Omagh Fund with a cheque for $129,000, after arranging a series of fund-raising functions throughout the city in the past five months.

JANUARY 28 1999 The Sperrin Lakeland Trust have announced details of an extensive house-to-house study it is due to undertake to gauge the impact of the bombing on the wider Omagh community. 15,000 households are to be issued with a questionnaire.

FEBRUARY 9 1999
The Police have confirmed that they are in possession of a second amateur video tape containing graphic scenes of the carnage which followed the explosion.

FEBRUARY 24 1999
A first person is charged in connection with the bombing. Before a Special Criminal Court in Dublin is Dundalk man Colm Murphy, formerly from South Armagh. He is accused of conspiring to cause an explosion between August 13-16 last, and membership of the IRA.

MARCH 2 1999
Trustees of the Omagh Fund announce that all money-raising activities will be wound up by August 14th-a day before the first anniversary of the atrocity.

MARCH 17 1999
Omagh bomb victim Claire Gallagher is given pride of place at a glittering St.Patrick's Night party in the White House where she performs on the piano alongside renowned composer Phil Coulter for President Clinton.

MARCH 27 1999
There is heartwarming scenes at Omagh's Scared Heart Church as Donna Marie McGillion and her fiance Garry McGillion, who were both caught up in the blast, tie the knot.

MAY 7 1999
Prince Charles makes a return visit to Omagh where he meets with bereaved families, some of those injured, as well as civic and business representatives.

MAY 25 1999
Joe McDonagh, president of the Gaelic Athletic Association, hands over a cheque for £750,000 on behalf of his organisation to the Omagh Fund the second largest single donation.

JUNE 12 1999
Sub-officer Patrick McGillion who is attached to Newtownstewart Fire Division is awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, in recognition of his courage and dedication on the day of the bomb.

JUNE 16 1999
Omagh District Council outline specific details of the redevelopment programme for Market Street. The new image will incorporate a community house in conjunction with commercial retail space.

JUNE 24 1999
At a moving ceremony in St.Joseph's Hall in Omagh a 15 track tribute album entitled 'To Swim with the Dolphins' is launched to commemorate the life of Omagh bomb victim Jolene Marlow .

JULY 9 1999
A young student who died in the bomb, Julia Hughes, is posthumously awarded her degree in accountancy during a graduation ceremony at Dundee University.

AUGUST 3 1999
Treble winners Manchester United become the second Premiership giants to travel to the town in the space of a week, following the earlier visit of Chelsea, to play Omagh Town in a friendly fixture in aid of the Fund.
Compiled by Barry O'Donnell and Hugh McCusker