OMAGH BOMB FILM PULLS NO PUNCHES
Omagh bomb film pulls no punches, families find in private screening
BY JOHN McCUSKER
Group hopeful it will prick someone's conscience
RELATIVES of those killed in the Omagh bombing are hoping that the forthcoming TV dramatisation of the atrocity will prick the conscience of someone who can provide further information leading to the conviction of the bombers.
Over 200 people were given a preview screening of the 15-rated film, entitled Omagh, in a top floor studio of the Movie House Cinema in Belfast on Sunday evening. They comprised mainly victims and relatives, TV and film executives, cast members and the media. Earlier in the day, relatives were afforded a private TV screen viewing in the nearby Europa Hotel.
The film follows the events of August 15,1998, from just a few hours before the bomb attack right through to the release of Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report into the police handling of the investigation. It features Omagh born actor Gerard McSorley who takes on the lead role of Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Victims' Support Group, around whose family the film evolves. Based on unflinching first hand research, it was made in cooperation and consultation with members of the Victims' Group.
Viewers planning to watch the forthcoming film, however, should prepare themselves for scenes of horror and devastation. During the Belfast screening, a victim of the attack was overcome by the trauma and had to be helped from the auditorium. The film, however, may prove to be one of the most powerfully moving pieces of real-life drama likely to be screened this year.
The storyline divides roughly into two parts. The first deals with the tense build-up to the explosion as the hand held effect camera pans and weaves between the Real lRA gang meticulously loading the bomb car and the townspeople as they prepare for just another Saturday morning. Following the detonation of the Vauxhall Cavalier and the scenes of carnage in Market Street, the film follows the character of Michael Gallagher as he frantically searches for his son Aiden, firstly through the corridors of mayhem in Tyrone County Hospital and later during the identification process at the town's Leisure Centre before finally identifying him in the temporary morgue at Lisanelly Barracks.
The second part of the film focuses mainly on the Gallagher family and the Omagh Self Help Group's quest for truth and justice. It follows the group as they search for answers on the investigation into the atrocity, firstly with Chief Superintendent Eric Anderson, who headed the probe, and later with Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan. The drama also contains footage of Panorama's Who Bombed Omagh and clandestine meetings with British spy 'Kevin Fulton' and Garda Special Branch DS John White who both claim that there was prior intelligence reports of a car bomb destined to cross the border. The film concludes with Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan (played by Brenda Fricker) delivering her devastating report into the RUC's handling of the inquiry.
Speaking afterwards, Michael Gallagher said that, given the restrictions of telling the Omagh story as a dramatisation, he felt the scriptwriters had struck the right balance and the film accurately portrayed the "tensions and pain" the families had come through.
"All along we said the filmmakers should not sanitise or nullify the full horror of the atrocity and I think this brings the impact of explosions home to people who weren't there.
"It also shows a story of Omagh which has never been told: how it brought a group of people from different religions and opinions to work together and rather than pulling the community apart, as the bombers intended, it created exactly the opposite effect."
Mr Gallagher hoped the film would move someone to come forward with further information which would assist in convicting the bombers.
"There are people out there with a terrible burden of guilt and I would appeal for the person who made the call to police in Omagh on August 4,1998 to get in touch with ourselves in total confidence," he added.
Among those who chose to view the film were victim Lorraine Wilson's parents, Godfrey and Ann. Speaking emotionally afterwards, Mr Wilson said that although it was difficult to watch some of the scenes, he hoped the film would prompt someone to come forward with fresh information.
"It's very sore for us to have to watch this but I think the filmmakers did an excellent job. I hope people won't be scarred as a result of watching the film. I hope they go away with the feeling that victims like us should be supported strongly by the authorities.
"The only thing we're looking for as victims is justice. What we saw on screen today should bring people to realise they should be helping us rather than shunning us."
Mr Wilson hopes the film's content will eventually touch someone's conscience leading to a breakthrough in the case against the bombers.
"The people who bombed Omagh are ingrained in the destruction of innocent life and unless somebody on the sidelines, other than the hardened terrorists, comes forward and fights for us, then we will have to continue with our campaign. I can only hope the screening of this film will bring the case a step forward."
Michael Doherty, from Buncrana, who lost his son Oran in the attack, thought the film accurately portrayed the pain and anguish the families have gone through for almost six years.
"The first thirty minutes of the film were horrific to watch and to think that your son was in the middle of that was unimaginable. All I could think of was Oran, eight years of age, caught up in some place he had never been before, something he knew nothing about.
"I think the second part of the film, however, accurately shows the strain that families have come under. It was difficult to watch but hopefully some good will come of screening it. I hope its message will be that violence and the funding of terrorist organisations does not pay," he added.
Although Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife Philomena in the attack, has given his full backing to the film, he still could not bring himself to view the footage. Kevin (whose character in the film is played by Billy Clarke) was one of the few members of the Victims' Group who witnessed the carnage at first hand. He had been in Market Street with his wife and other family members when the car bomb exploded. He chose not to watch the film with other members of the group at the weekend.
"I just could not sit through it all again," he said. "I'm certainly not against the film being made and I give it my full backing but I saw the full horror that day and I just could not bring myself to watch it again. If it comes out on video, I may watch it in the privacy of my own home but it's just something I would never want to see again."
However Kevin believes that if the film achieves what it set out to achieve, it will be worth the efforts.
"I would like it to show the world what happened in Omagh that day and what has happened since regarding the lies that were told by both the British and Irish governments. I also hope it will show the way the families were treated and are still being treated to this day."
Actor Paul Kelly, from Carrickmore takes on the role of Aiden Gallagher in the film. The part proved to be a challenge as Paul grew up just a short distance from the scene of the explosion.
He said, "I felt proud playing the part of Aiden and privileged that I was chosen but it is a pity it was under such tragic consequences.
"I think from the film that people will realise the struggle families had to go through and their continual quest for justice. It is quite close to home for me so I felt I had to be quite truthful with the character," he added.
BY JOHN McCUSKER
Group hopeful it will prick someone's conscience
RELATIVES of those killed in the Omagh bombing are hoping that the forthcoming TV dramatisation of the atrocity will prick the conscience of someone who can provide further information leading to the conviction of the bombers.
Over 200 people were given a preview screening of the 15-rated film, entitled Omagh, in a top floor studio of the Movie House Cinema in Belfast on Sunday evening. They comprised mainly victims and relatives, TV and film executives, cast members and the media. Earlier in the day, relatives were afforded a private TV screen viewing in the nearby Europa Hotel.
The film follows the events of August 15,1998, from just a few hours before the bomb attack right through to the release of Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report into the police handling of the investigation. It features Omagh born actor Gerard McSorley who takes on the lead role of Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Victims' Support Group, around whose family the film evolves. Based on unflinching first hand research, it was made in cooperation and consultation with members of the Victims' Group.
Viewers planning to watch the forthcoming film, however, should prepare themselves for scenes of horror and devastation. During the Belfast screening, a victim of the attack was overcome by the trauma and had to be helped from the auditorium. The film, however, may prove to be one of the most powerfully moving pieces of real-life drama likely to be screened this year.
The storyline divides roughly into two parts. The first deals with the tense build-up to the explosion as the hand held effect camera pans and weaves between the Real lRA gang meticulously loading the bomb car and the townspeople as they prepare for just another Saturday morning. Following the detonation of the Vauxhall Cavalier and the scenes of carnage in Market Street, the film follows the character of Michael Gallagher as he frantically searches for his son Aiden, firstly through the corridors of mayhem in Tyrone County Hospital and later during the identification process at the town's Leisure Centre before finally identifying him in the temporary morgue at Lisanelly Barracks.
The second part of the film focuses mainly on the Gallagher family and the Omagh Self Help Group's quest for truth and justice. It follows the group as they search for answers on the investigation into the atrocity, firstly with Chief Superintendent Eric Anderson, who headed the probe, and later with Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan. The drama also contains footage of Panorama's Who Bombed Omagh and clandestine meetings with British spy 'Kevin Fulton' and Garda Special Branch DS John White who both claim that there was prior intelligence reports of a car bomb destined to cross the border. The film concludes with Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan (played by Brenda Fricker) delivering her devastating report into the RUC's handling of the inquiry.
Speaking afterwards, Michael Gallagher said that, given the restrictions of telling the Omagh story as a dramatisation, he felt the scriptwriters had struck the right balance and the film accurately portrayed the "tensions and pain" the families had come through.
"All along we said the filmmakers should not sanitise or nullify the full horror of the atrocity and I think this brings the impact of explosions home to people who weren't there.
"It also shows a story of Omagh which has never been told: how it brought a group of people from different religions and opinions to work together and rather than pulling the community apart, as the bombers intended, it created exactly the opposite effect."
Mr Gallagher hoped the film would move someone to come forward with further information which would assist in convicting the bombers.
"There are people out there with a terrible burden of guilt and I would appeal for the person who made the call to police in Omagh on August 4,1998 to get in touch with ourselves in total confidence," he added.
Among those who chose to view the film were victim Lorraine Wilson's parents, Godfrey and Ann. Speaking emotionally afterwards, Mr Wilson said that although it was difficult to watch some of the scenes, he hoped the film would prompt someone to come forward with fresh information.
"It's very sore for us to have to watch this but I think the filmmakers did an excellent job. I hope people won't be scarred as a result of watching the film. I hope they go away with the feeling that victims like us should be supported strongly by the authorities.
"The only thing we're looking for as victims is justice. What we saw on screen today should bring people to realise they should be helping us rather than shunning us."
Mr Wilson hopes the film's content will eventually touch someone's conscience leading to a breakthrough in the case against the bombers.
"The people who bombed Omagh are ingrained in the destruction of innocent life and unless somebody on the sidelines, other than the hardened terrorists, comes forward and fights for us, then we will have to continue with our campaign. I can only hope the screening of this film will bring the case a step forward."
Michael Doherty, from Buncrana, who lost his son Oran in the attack, thought the film accurately portrayed the pain and anguish the families have gone through for almost six years.
"The first thirty minutes of the film were horrific to watch and to think that your son was in the middle of that was unimaginable. All I could think of was Oran, eight years of age, caught up in some place he had never been before, something he knew nothing about.
"I think the second part of the film, however, accurately shows the strain that families have come under. It was difficult to watch but hopefully some good will come of screening it. I hope its message will be that violence and the funding of terrorist organisations does not pay," he added.
Although Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife Philomena in the attack, has given his full backing to the film, he still could not bring himself to view the footage. Kevin (whose character in the film is played by Billy Clarke) was one of the few members of the Victims' Group who witnessed the carnage at first hand. He had been in Market Street with his wife and other family members when the car bomb exploded. He chose not to watch the film with other members of the group at the weekend.
"I just could not sit through it all again," he said. "I'm certainly not against the film being made and I give it my full backing but I saw the full horror that day and I just could not bring myself to watch it again. If it comes out on video, I may watch it in the privacy of my own home but it's just something I would never want to see again."
However Kevin believes that if the film achieves what it set out to achieve, it will be worth the efforts.
"I would like it to show the world what happened in Omagh that day and what has happened since regarding the lies that were told by both the British and Irish governments. I also hope it will show the way the families were treated and are still being treated to this day."
Actor Paul Kelly, from Carrickmore takes on the role of Aiden Gallagher in the film. The part proved to be a challenge as Paul grew up just a short distance from the scene of the explosion.
He said, "I felt proud playing the part of Aiden and privileged that I was chosen but it is a pity it was under such tragic consequences.
"I think from the film that people will realise the struggle families had to go through and their continual quest for justice. It is quite close to home for me so I felt I had to be quite truthful with the character," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1657
Published Date: 13-May-04
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