UH/1135

Fund expected to top £2m
BY: JACQUELINE COURTNEY

THE OMAGH Memorial Fund is expected to top £2m by Christmas, it was revealed this week.
And in just one month a staggering £1 million was committed to the Fund, as donations and pledges flooded into the bomb-scarred town.
The officials tasked with the delicate and difficult job of administering the Fund are expected to be announced within the next few days.
Omagh Council's Chief Executive, John McKinney, said interest was still being shown and a number of events are being planned. He said that no decision has yet been taken on when the Fund will close.
A single £55,000 donation, to aid the victims of the Omagh bomb outrage, which was handed over in Dublin last week, was just one of a number of fund-raising events, including a major concert in Belfast, now planned to remember the town.
The concert at Belfast's Waterfront Hall, featuring Ireland's top singers and an international charity soccer game at Derry City's Brandywell will swell the Fund even higher.
Meanwhile around £300,000 was raised for the victims of the bombing by a star studded golf tournament organised by the North's top golfers.
The previous £55,000 donation was handed over to Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern who appeared on the stage of the Gaiety Theatre last week to receive the cheque, proceeds from a musical play telling the story of Glasgow Celtic FC.
Amongst the forthcoming fundraising events, which it is hoped will raise tens of thousands of pounds, is the star studded concert in the Belfast Waterfront Hall on Sunday October 4th. It will feature the talented Brian Kennedy and the equally world renowned Mary Black who will lead the professionally billed cast. And organisers of the concert were this week remaining tight lipped about a surprise guest who will make an appearance at the concert.
"All the top guests appearing are from Northern Ireland and the public will not be disappointed by our special guest whose identity we are not revealing at this time" said a spokesperson.
The Ulster Orchestra, members of the Sands family, Rosemary Woods, Siobhan Skates and Christy McGuigan will also entertain.
The event has been organised by Bangor housewife, Judith Thurley who was so moved by the events in Omagh that she decided to so something for the people so effected by the tragedy.
"When I heard the news of the bombing I was so overcome that I knew I had to do something" said Judith, a mother of two children, aged 10 and seven.
"I knew this time it wasn't enough to cry alone. I needed to do something which would help remove the darkness and the ugliness of the atrocity".
Judith decided, a concert would be the way to do this and she explained "I feel that music offers a way of expressing something good. We are such a musical people. I think that we can use music almost as a healing force".
Tickets for the event are £14.50 with the entire proceeds going directly to the Omagh Memorial Fund. Tickets will be available at all the usual outlets and from the Waterfront Hall's booking Office.
Two hundred tickets for the event are being given to members of the emergency services and other people who were involved in helping the victims of the bombing.
"All the artistes have been very generous in donating their services for free" said Judith who is hoping to cover other costs through sponsorship.
Wonderland promoter, Eamonn McCann described the event as a "unique initiative" and UTV's Mike Nesbitt and Radio Ulster's Gerry Anderson will host the evening.
BT are generously providing a fund to be allocated for contingency expenses and the production side of the concert is being handled, again, free of charge by Wonderland Promotions Ltd.
The Board of Management of the Waterfront Hall has also kindly provided the use of the hall free of charge.
Ulsterbus is also to be approached about the ferrying of people to and from the concert.
The £55,000 cheque, representing the first night's proceeds from the musical play in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, which told the story of Glasgow Celtic FC, was presented by the teenager who emerged as one of the heroes from the blast which killed 29 people and injured hundreds more.
Sean O'Connor (19), from Dromore was seen on an amateur video film tending the injured and helping people away from the scene while dressed in the familiar green and white Celtic shirt. He was joined on the stage of the Gaiety by Aisling Doherty (16) from Buncrana, Co Donegal, whose eight year-old brother, Oran, was among three young boys from the Irish Republic village to be killed in Omagh while on a day out.
Meanwhile, a number of fundraising quizzes and events are being staged in various premises, on both sides of the border, to boost the Memorial Fund.
One of the events, is a ten band spectacular, featuring all local talent in the Top of the Town, Omagh this Friday night. Donations of £5 from patrons will be donated to the Fund.
The Donegal branch of the Manchester United Supporters' Club, will hold a fundraising event in aid of the Fund. It will take the form of a table quiz to be held on October 1st in the Rossbracken Lounge at 9.00p.m.
Voluntary donations can also be made on the night.
May shops throughout the country have organised donation collections spots in their outlets, with people reported as responding generously to the fund.
In many housing estates within the town, collections have also been taken up to help families with travelling costs in visiting relations still recovering in hospital after the bomb.
Outside of Ireland, Tyrone Associations are organising events to raise money for the Memorial Fund.