BOMB VICTIM AWARDED DEGREE POSTHUMOUSLY
Bomb victim awarded degree posthumously
A YOUNG student who died In the Omagh bombing has been posthumously awarded her degree during a graduation ceremony at her Scottish university last Friday.
Julia Hughes (21), from Beltany Road, was home on holidays from Dundee University when she was caught up in the atrocity. A final year accountancy student, she had been due to qualify this summer. On the day of the attack, she had been working at her part-time job in the Image Express photographic shop, before being evacuated following a bomb scare at the Courthouse.
In a poignant tribute to the young victim, the university's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ian Graham-Bryce said the award was in remembrance of a student who, he believed would have gone on to greater things.
Addressing graduates and their families, Dr Graham-Bryce said he wished to draw attention to one special name among the graduation lists, that of Julia Hughes, who was so tragically killed in last August's atrocity.
Everyone at the university had been deeply shocked by her death, he said.
"Julia was a very popular and successful student who completed all that was needed for an ordinary degree. She would have gone on to even greater things,"
"We will think of her posthumous degree as another part of our remembrance of her."
"In conferring it at this critical moment, we add our own hopes and prayers that lasting peace will come from the present difficult negotiations. That indeed would be a fitting memorial" he added.
A spokesperson for the university said, Julia's parents, Alex and Helen, her twin brother, Justin and other members of her family had not attended the ceremony as they felt the occasion would be too emotional for them.
However they plan to travel to Dundee later in the year in order to present a student prize in her name.
A YOUNG student who died In the Omagh bombing has been posthumously awarded her degree during a graduation ceremony at her Scottish university last Friday.
Julia Hughes (21), from Beltany Road, was home on holidays from Dundee University when she was caught up in the atrocity. A final year accountancy student, she had been due to qualify this summer. On the day of the attack, she had been working at her part-time job in the Image Express photographic shop, before being evacuated following a bomb scare at the Courthouse.
In a poignant tribute to the young victim, the university's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ian Graham-Bryce said the award was in remembrance of a student who, he believed would have gone on to greater things.
Addressing graduates and their families, Dr Graham-Bryce said he wished to draw attention to one special name among the graduation lists, that of Julia Hughes, who was so tragically killed in last August's atrocity.
Everyone at the university had been deeply shocked by her death, he said.
"Julia was a very popular and successful student who completed all that was needed for an ordinary degree. She would have gone on to even greater things,"
"We will think of her posthumous degree as another part of our remembrance of her."
"In conferring it at this critical moment, we add our own hopes and prayers that lasting peace will come from the present difficult negotiations. That indeed would be a fitting memorial" he added.
A spokesperson for the university said, Julia's parents, Alex and Helen, her twin brother, Justin and other members of her family had not attended the ceremony as they felt the occasion would be too emotional for them.
However they plan to travel to Dundee later in the year in order to present a student prize in her name.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1282
Published Date: 15-Jul-99
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