TOWN HAS THE WILL TO RECOVER
Town has the will to recover
By: JOHN McCUSKER
ONE of Omagh's most celebrated literary figures believes the town in which he grew up has the strength and resilience to recover from the wounds inflicted upon it last August.
For writer and broadcaster, Ben Kiely, the bombing which devastated his hometown one year ago was in stark contrast to the good relationship which existed among towns-people.
During the afternoon of 15 August last - on what was his 79th birthday -sketchy details of the Market Street atrocity were beginning to emerge.
A phonecall from a friend initially alerted Ben to the carnage. And as the evening progressed the tragic reports intensified.
"It would be a damnable thing to happen on any town, let alone Omagh where people lived decently side by side" he told the 'Herald' this week.
"We were all neighbours in Omagh and I have many happy memories of the town. And to think of something like that happening on its streets would madden you completely.
"It was a terrible thing to happen, particularly in a town in which I was reared and in which I spent many happy days. I found it greatly upsetting."
Over 20 years ago, in his book Proxopera, Ben launched a bitter attack on the effects of violence in the North. And until a year ago, the town he grew up in had largely escaped the mayhem which had gripped other areas throughout the past 30 years of the Troubles.
"We were all neighbours in Omagh, it was that sort of town where everyone lived together.
"It was a garrison town, but the boys from the Christian Brothers did their gym training in the barracks and I have nothing but happy memories of the place."
Last summer, Ben had written to his sister, Kathleen Coll in Omagh, outlining plans to "walk Conn's Brae" near Drumquin, an area both cherished.
"I said we would walk Conn's Brae, where the Gormleys of Claramore lived, and then you went up the steep hill to the Colls of Clararock.
"I wrote her a letter about these plans and all the hills we would climb and she was actually reading it when she heard the bomb go off" he said.
Peace was now obviously the overriding wish of everyone in the wake of the tragedy and the town of Omagh itself now needed to look towards the future with hope.
"It is a good town and it will survive, needless to say. With patience and suffering, people will struggle through it. Naturally, one would hope for peace and decency all over the North and I keep hoping for that. But it is an amazing thing that a decaying and finished empire always leaves rubble behind it, and you can see a sample of that in the Six Counties at the moment.
"I would like to see peace and prosperity return to Omagh at this stage, what you would hope for in any town, and I certainly think both will come to Omagh" he added.
By: JOHN McCUSKER
ONE of Omagh's most celebrated literary figures believes the town in which he grew up has the strength and resilience to recover from the wounds inflicted upon it last August.
For writer and broadcaster, Ben Kiely, the bombing which devastated his hometown one year ago was in stark contrast to the good relationship which existed among towns-people.
During the afternoon of 15 August last - on what was his 79th birthday -sketchy details of the Market Street atrocity were beginning to emerge.
A phonecall from a friend initially alerted Ben to the carnage. And as the evening progressed the tragic reports intensified.
"It would be a damnable thing to happen on any town, let alone Omagh where people lived decently side by side" he told the 'Herald' this week.
"We were all neighbours in Omagh and I have many happy memories of the town. And to think of something like that happening on its streets would madden you completely.
"It was a terrible thing to happen, particularly in a town in which I was reared and in which I spent many happy days. I found it greatly upsetting."
Over 20 years ago, in his book Proxopera, Ben launched a bitter attack on the effects of violence in the North. And until a year ago, the town he grew up in had largely escaped the mayhem which had gripped other areas throughout the past 30 years of the Troubles.
"We were all neighbours in Omagh, it was that sort of town where everyone lived together.
"It was a garrison town, but the boys from the Christian Brothers did their gym training in the barracks and I have nothing but happy memories of the place."
Last summer, Ben had written to his sister, Kathleen Coll in Omagh, outlining plans to "walk Conn's Brae" near Drumquin, an area both cherished.
"I said we would walk Conn's Brae, where the Gormleys of Claramore lived, and then you went up the steep hill to the Colls of Clararock.
"I wrote her a letter about these plans and all the hills we would climb and she was actually reading it when she heard the bomb go off" he said.
Peace was now obviously the overriding wish of everyone in the wake of the tragedy and the town of Omagh itself now needed to look towards the future with hope.
"It is a good town and it will survive, needless to say. With patience and suffering, people will struggle through it. Naturally, one would hope for peace and decency all over the North and I keep hoping for that. But it is an amazing thing that a decaying and finished empire always leaves rubble behind it, and you can see a sample of that in the Six Counties at the moment.
"I would like to see peace and prosperity return to Omagh at this stage, what you would hope for in any town, and I certainly think both will come to Omagh" he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0483
Published Date: 12-Aug-99
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