SERVICE UNITES GRIEVING THREE YEARS ON
Service unites grieving three years on
HUNDREDS of people gathered on Wednesday afternoon to pay their respects to the 31 people who died in the Omagh bomb.
The third anniversary day was marked by a moving inter-denominational service in the Garden of Remembrance at the town's Drumragh Avenue, a short distance from the scene of the bomb. The town came together in music and prayer to remember those who died and the others who were injured as a result of the attack three years ago.
After the dignified service, Fr Kevin Mullan told the Herald that he was acutely aware of the abiding sadness in the town.
He personally felt that only with some kind of justice could the town move forward.
"The civil case is one way of doing this, but it may be different for other people caught up in this nightmare. Until justice is seen to be done we cannot move on to care for one another," said the local priest.
Many shops and businesses in the town centre closed for the duration of the service as a mark of respect to those who died in the 1988 explosion caused by the Real IRA.
The ceremony was also attended by high ranking security chiefs on both sides of the border among them RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne. Both top ranking police officers entered the Garden together shorty before the service. While there, they met some of the bereaved relatives.
Local civil dignitaries including West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty and Omagh District Council Chairman Barry McElduff were also in attendance.
Also present were members of the local Trauma team including Michael Duffy and members of the medical profession who helped ease the suffering in the aftermath of the bomb blast which ripped apart the Saturday shopping crowds.
Representatives from Buncrana, which also mourns its young victims from that bomb also joined in the public show of sympathy. They were united in grief to mourn all who died at the scene of the North's single worst atrocity in 30 years.
Floral tributes from loved ones were placed at the centre of the Garden and even as the sun shone down it failed to warm the grief stricken hearts of those who have been to hell and back. A tree donated by victims's relatives and survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 was also planted close by.
The beautiful sunny afternoon was in stark contrast to the terrifying atmosphere of three years ago when the bomb caused so much destruction in human and economic terms.
The ceremony organised by the Omagh Churches Forum took place in the Garden of Remembrance where a minutes silence was observed. As the service opened a message of welcome to those who came from far and near was extended by Elizabeth McSorley, Head of Corporate Services with Omagh District Council.
"Today we come together in word, in music and in prayer, to remember those who died and were injured as a result of the attack on our town that fateful Saturday afternoon three years ago."
One of the most moving parts of the service was a reading by Paula Skelton, whose mother Philomena was killed in the bomb. The other reading was by local schoolgirl Wendy McCay.
Local clergymen Fr Michael Keaveny PP Drumragh and Rev William Seale of St Columba's Church of Ireland together with William Harper, Headmaster of Omagh High School also participated in the ceremony.
The ceremony concluded with the official laying of wreaths. One was laid by Elizabeth McSorley, Omagh District Council on behalf of the local people and another by Mary Gallagher representing the grieving Buncrana and Spanish families.
Other symbolic wreaths were left by relatives, organisations, businesses and individuals in Omagh. Many bore sentimental messages to loved ones.
One simply read "Thinking of everyone, today."
HUNDREDS of people gathered on Wednesday afternoon to pay their respects to the 31 people who died in the Omagh bomb.
The third anniversary day was marked by a moving inter-denominational service in the Garden of Remembrance at the town's Drumragh Avenue, a short distance from the scene of the bomb. The town came together in music and prayer to remember those who died and the others who were injured as a result of the attack three years ago.
After the dignified service, Fr Kevin Mullan told the Herald that he was acutely aware of the abiding sadness in the town.
He personally felt that only with some kind of justice could the town move forward.
"The civil case is one way of doing this, but it may be different for other people caught up in this nightmare. Until justice is seen to be done we cannot move on to care for one another," said the local priest.
Many shops and businesses in the town centre closed for the duration of the service as a mark of respect to those who died in the 1988 explosion caused by the Real IRA.
The ceremony was also attended by high ranking security chiefs on both sides of the border among them RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne. Both top ranking police officers entered the Garden together shorty before the service. While there, they met some of the bereaved relatives.
Local civil dignitaries including West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty and Omagh District Council Chairman Barry McElduff were also in attendance.
Also present were members of the local Trauma team including Michael Duffy and members of the medical profession who helped ease the suffering in the aftermath of the bomb blast which ripped apart the Saturday shopping crowds.
Representatives from Buncrana, which also mourns its young victims from that bomb also joined in the public show of sympathy. They were united in grief to mourn all who died at the scene of the North's single worst atrocity in 30 years.
Floral tributes from loved ones were placed at the centre of the Garden and even as the sun shone down it failed to warm the grief stricken hearts of those who have been to hell and back. A tree donated by victims's relatives and survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 was also planted close by.
The beautiful sunny afternoon was in stark contrast to the terrifying atmosphere of three years ago when the bomb caused so much destruction in human and economic terms.
The ceremony organised by the Omagh Churches Forum took place in the Garden of Remembrance where a minutes silence was observed. As the service opened a message of welcome to those who came from far and near was extended by Elizabeth McSorley, Head of Corporate Services with Omagh District Council.
"Today we come together in word, in music and in prayer, to remember those who died and were injured as a result of the attack on our town that fateful Saturday afternoon three years ago."
One of the most moving parts of the service was a reading by Paula Skelton, whose mother Philomena was killed in the bomb. The other reading was by local schoolgirl Wendy McCay.
Local clergymen Fr Michael Keaveny PP Drumragh and Rev William Seale of St Columba's Church of Ireland together with William Harper, Headmaster of Omagh High School also participated in the ceremony.
The ceremony concluded with the official laying of wreaths. One was laid by Elizabeth McSorley, Omagh District Council on behalf of the local people and another by Mary Gallagher representing the grieving Buncrana and Spanish families.
Other symbolic wreaths were left by relatives, organisations, businesses and individuals in Omagh. Many bore sentimental messages to loved ones.
One simply read "Thinking of everyone, today."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0807
Published Date: 16-Aug-01
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