FAMILIES COUNCIL AGREE TO DISAGREE
FAMILIES, COUNCIL AGREE TO DISAGREE
BY MARK McKELVEY
m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com
ELEVENTH hour talks brought an end to the public feud that threatened the harmony of the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb atrocity.
The talks took place on Tuesday between Omagh District Council and the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group.
There had been some angry reactions to the plans for tomorrow's official commemorations organised by the council and also to the decision of the Omagh Churches Forum to attend only that ceremony, rather than a later ceremony on Sunday organised by some of the families of victims killed in the 1998 bombing atrocity.
Some of the families involved in the latter ceremony have confirmed they will not attend the Friday events. They include most of the ten families associated with the support group. Instead, they will hold their own inter-denominational service on Sunday, as they have done on the Sunday closest to the anniversary for the past five years.
Representatives from both camps met on neutral territory at Omagh Library at noon on Tuesday to discuss some of the contentious issues surrounding the anniversary.
The result of this meeting seems to be that they have agreed to disagree for the sake of upholding the dignity of both anniversary services. A joint statement said that all the plans announced will remain in place, while describing recent negative comments as "regrettable".
The statement issued jointly by both parties reads: "This constructive meeting followed on from an ongoing programme of consultation with all of the bereaved families and a series of briefing meetings with Omagh Support and Self Help Group. During the meeting, reference was made to recent negative comments and incidents, and both parties agreed that these were regrettable and detracted from the dignity of the tenth anniversary commemoration.
"The 10th Anniversary of the Omagh bomb will be marked on Friday, August 15, at 3pm by a civic-led commemorative ceremony which will also include the dedication of the 'Garden of Light' memorial.
"This ceremony is the delivery of an agreement made following the fifth anniversary that Omagh council would, once again, organise a significant commemoration event to mark the milestone tenth anniversary.
"This civic-led event is aimed at providing an opportunity for the community as a whole to come together in reflection and remembrance. Our aim for the commemoration is encapsulated in the words of Rev Dr John Dunlop when he hoped that, "On the tenth Anniversary of the bomb when the Memorial is dedicated, all the people of Omagh will stand together and the Memorial itself and the unity, faith and hope of the people will be the most eloquent, powerful and enduring response to those who planted the bomb".
"In addition to Friday's event, Omagh Support and Self Help Group will continue the tradition developed since the fifth Anniversary by holding a memorial service on the Sunday falling closest to the anniversary. This year that event will take place on Sunday August 17 and Omagh Council has made the Memorial Garden available to the group for that purpose. The Chairman of Omagh Support and Self Help Group, Michael Gallagher has confirmed that he is encouraging people to attend both ceremonies.
"Omagh District Council understands that each anniversary is a particularly difficult and emotional time for families and that the decision to attend either, or both, events is a personal one for each family."
BY MARK McKELVEY
m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com
ELEVENTH hour talks brought an end to the public feud that threatened the harmony of the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bomb atrocity.
The talks took place on Tuesday between Omagh District Council and the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group.
There had been some angry reactions to the plans for tomorrow's official commemorations organised by the council and also to the decision of the Omagh Churches Forum to attend only that ceremony, rather than a later ceremony on Sunday organised by some of the families of victims killed in the 1998 bombing atrocity.
Some of the families involved in the latter ceremony have confirmed they will not attend the Friday events. They include most of the ten families associated with the support group. Instead, they will hold their own inter-denominational service on Sunday, as they have done on the Sunday closest to the anniversary for the past five years.
Representatives from both camps met on neutral territory at Omagh Library at noon on Tuesday to discuss some of the contentious issues surrounding the anniversary.
The result of this meeting seems to be that they have agreed to disagree for the sake of upholding the dignity of both anniversary services. A joint statement said that all the plans announced will remain in place, while describing recent negative comments as "regrettable".
The statement issued jointly by both parties reads: "This constructive meeting followed on from an ongoing programme of consultation with all of the bereaved families and a series of briefing meetings with Omagh Support and Self Help Group. During the meeting, reference was made to recent negative comments and incidents, and both parties agreed that these were regrettable and detracted from the dignity of the tenth anniversary commemoration.
"The 10th Anniversary of the Omagh bomb will be marked on Friday, August 15, at 3pm by a civic-led commemorative ceremony which will also include the dedication of the 'Garden of Light' memorial.
"This ceremony is the delivery of an agreement made following the fifth anniversary that Omagh council would, once again, organise a significant commemoration event to mark the milestone tenth anniversary.
"This civic-led event is aimed at providing an opportunity for the community as a whole to come together in reflection and remembrance. Our aim for the commemoration is encapsulated in the words of Rev Dr John Dunlop when he hoped that, "On the tenth Anniversary of the bomb when the Memorial is dedicated, all the people of Omagh will stand together and the Memorial itself and the unity, faith and hope of the people will be the most eloquent, powerful and enduring response to those who planted the bomb".
"In addition to Friday's event, Omagh Support and Self Help Group will continue the tradition developed since the fifth Anniversary by holding a memorial service on the Sunday falling closest to the anniversary. This year that event will take place on Sunday August 17 and Omagh Council has made the Memorial Garden available to the group for that purpose. The Chairman of Omagh Support and Self Help Group, Michael Gallagher has confirmed that he is encouraging people to attend both ceremonies.
"Omagh District Council understands that each anniversary is a particularly difficult and emotional time for families and that the decision to attend either, or both, events is a personal one for each family."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH10An/09
Published Date: 14-Aug-08
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