TEXAN VISITORS SEE COMPARISON BETWEEN OMAGH AND WACO
Texan visitors see comparisons between Omagh and Waco
By ADRIAN MULLAN
When the Omagh bomb exploded at 3.10 p.m. on August 15th last year its reverberations were felt across the world I.
In Waco, Texas Ann and Wayne Duncan spilled their tea as they rushed to get to the T.V. Their daughter, Danna, had only recently married an expatriate from Omagh, Frank Winters. Although the young couple were in England at the time there were still moments of anxiety as the couple tried to make phone contact with their daughter.
Over the past few weeks, the Duncans have been in Omagh, combining a family reunion with some informal research into the role of communications in the tragedy.
Ann is a professor of communications at McLennan Community College in Waco and the college has been keen to forge links with Omagh.
Like Omagh, Waco hit the headlines a few years ago for all the wrong reasons. The quiet little town had existed in relative obscurity since 1953 when a tornado swept through downtown killing 114 people in what had been the single worst tornado in US history. Though many years have since passed, the effects of that tragedy are still being felt. All these years later, many of those who lost family and friends will still not go into the Downtown area on the anniversary of the tragedy.
The tornado left an indelible imprint on the town and county and, but to the wider world, after the initial shock and horror began to subside, the town slipped back into anonymity. It was not until the early 1990s that the town was involuntarily thrust into the spotlight again with the siege and eventual tragedy at Elk, just outside Waco.
On that occasion, dozens of people died when the FBI and other agencies stormed the compound owned by David Koresh's Branch Davidian sect, amid fears of about a build up of weaponry, and concerns about child welfare.
In the weeks which followed the tragedy, Waco, like Omagh became the focus of intense media activity, and there was a sense of shock and disbelief. Though many of those who died in the incident were not from Waco and, in fact, were barely known to the townspeople, the scale of the tragedy, the intensity of the media coverage, and the momentary loss of identity all had their effects. There are comparisons to be drawn between Omagh and Waco.
Ann has been in communication with the District Council, the principal of the local college and other significant bodies in an attempt to establish a links between both communities, but also to gain an understanding of the role of communications in both situations.
However, she cautions against those who suggest that Omagh is recovering, and suggests that whilst it may be recovering commercially, and at a corporate level, the hurt of the town, and the impact of the tragedy on individuals and at a community level may be felt for many years to come.
"Personally", said Ann, "I was very moved by everyone's love of their town and devotion to it. My impression is that people here think of community before everything else."
The couple confessed to a more or less instantaneous love affair with Omagh, and say Wayne, "We were so taken by the beauty of the town that we nearly crashed into a truck. We certainly would not be opposed to frequent visits."
By ADRIAN MULLAN
When the Omagh bomb exploded at 3.10 p.m. on August 15th last year its reverberations were felt across the world I.
In Waco, Texas Ann and Wayne Duncan spilled their tea as they rushed to get to the T.V. Their daughter, Danna, had only recently married an expatriate from Omagh, Frank Winters. Although the young couple were in England at the time there were still moments of anxiety as the couple tried to make phone contact with their daughter.
Over the past few weeks, the Duncans have been in Omagh, combining a family reunion with some informal research into the role of communications in the tragedy.
Ann is a professor of communications at McLennan Community College in Waco and the college has been keen to forge links with Omagh.
Like Omagh, Waco hit the headlines a few years ago for all the wrong reasons. The quiet little town had existed in relative obscurity since 1953 when a tornado swept through downtown killing 114 people in what had been the single worst tornado in US history. Though many years have since passed, the effects of that tragedy are still being felt. All these years later, many of those who lost family and friends will still not go into the Downtown area on the anniversary of the tragedy.
The tornado left an indelible imprint on the town and county and, but to the wider world, after the initial shock and horror began to subside, the town slipped back into anonymity. It was not until the early 1990s that the town was involuntarily thrust into the spotlight again with the siege and eventual tragedy at Elk, just outside Waco.
On that occasion, dozens of people died when the FBI and other agencies stormed the compound owned by David Koresh's Branch Davidian sect, amid fears of about a build up of weaponry, and concerns about child welfare.
In the weeks which followed the tragedy, Waco, like Omagh became the focus of intense media activity, and there was a sense of shock and disbelief. Though many of those who died in the incident were not from Waco and, in fact, were barely known to the townspeople, the scale of the tragedy, the intensity of the media coverage, and the momentary loss of identity all had their effects. There are comparisons to be drawn between Omagh and Waco.
Ann has been in communication with the District Council, the principal of the local college and other significant bodies in an attempt to establish a links between both communities, but also to gain an understanding of the role of communications in both situations.
However, she cautions against those who suggest that Omagh is recovering, and suggests that whilst it may be recovering commercially, and at a corporate level, the hurt of the town, and the impact of the tragedy on individuals and at a community level may be felt for many years to come.
"Personally", said Ann, "I was very moved by everyone's love of their town and devotion to it. My impression is that people here think of community before everything else."
The couple confessed to a more or less instantaneous love affair with Omagh, and say Wayne, "We were so taken by the beauty of the town that we nearly crashed into a truck. We certainly would not be opposed to frequent visits."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0462
Published Date: 12-Aug-99
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