CLAIRE HAS LEARNED TO TAKE THINGS AS THEY COME
Claire has learned to take things as they come
ONE inspirational story to emerge from the sadness that surrounds Omagh after August 15 1998 is that of Claire Gallagher.
Claire lost her sight in the bomb when she was just 15 but it didn't stop her from following her dream of becoming a music therapist.
Now in the final year of her music degree at the Queen's University Claire takes each day as it comes.
She strikes you as an easy-going, light-hearted 20 year-old student without a care in the world.
When asked about her feelings on any issue surrounding the Omagh bomb she says, quite categorically, "I don't think about stuff like that anymore." You get the impression Claire has given many hours of thought to agonising over the consequences of what happened that day, but you also know she has turned an emotional corner some time ago.
"That stuff isn't taking up my life like it used to do. One good thing this has taught me is to take things as they come."
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Claire passed her Grade 8 piano with honours in May this year. An accomplishment for any pianist with eyesight. She has had the company of a guide dog for the past two years and will graduate next year, when she hopes to get some experience in the field of music therapy and eventually train to become a therapist herself.
Claire says things are back to normal as far as she is concerned. "I was a strong person before but this has definitely made me stronger."
Unfazed and confident she says, "It has developed me some way as a person but who is to say how things would have been."
Claire says the most positive thing she has taken from her experience is that now "everything is in perspective. Everything."
ONE inspirational story to emerge from the sadness that surrounds Omagh after August 15 1998 is that of Claire Gallagher.
Claire lost her sight in the bomb when she was just 15 but it didn't stop her from following her dream of becoming a music therapist.
Now in the final year of her music degree at the Queen's University Claire takes each day as it comes.
She strikes you as an easy-going, light-hearted 20 year-old student without a care in the world.
When asked about her feelings on any issue surrounding the Omagh bomb she says, quite categorically, "I don't think about stuff like that anymore." You get the impression Claire has given many hours of thought to agonising over the consequences of what happened that day, but you also know she has turned an emotional corner some time ago.
"That stuff isn't taking up my life like it used to do. One good thing this has taught me is to take things as they come."
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Claire passed her Grade 8 piano with honours in May this year. An accomplishment for any pianist with eyesight. She has had the company of a guide dog for the past two years and will graduate next year, when she hopes to get some experience in the field of music therapy and eventually train to become a therapist herself.
Claire says things are back to normal as far as she is concerned. "I was a strong person before but this has definitely made me stronger."
Unfazed and confident she says, "It has developed me some way as a person but who is to say how things would have been."
Claire says the most positive thing she has taken from her experience is that now "everything is in perspective. Everything."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1561
Published Date: 14-Aug-03
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