Survivors Thank Irish-America For Support
EXCLUSIVE BY PETER KELLY IN OMAGH, County Tyrone
Hundreds of supporters joined families of those bereaved by the Omagh bomb as they gathered in the town to mark the 25th anniversary of the attack. It was the single worst atrocity of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
In a prayerful and reflective service at Omagh’s Memorial Garden, the names of the 31 men, women, children and 2 unborn twins killed on 15 August 1998 were read out.
Hymns were sung and prayers devoted to the memories of those who perished, with the ‘Our Father’ read in English, Irish and Spanish, reflecting the three nationalities of those who were killed. In addition to the large international media presence, government dignitaries including British NI Minister Lord Jonathan Caine and Irish Minister for European Affairs and Defense, Peter Burke were in attendance. Former Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O’Loan, a long term advocate for victims’ families, also joined from the House of Lords in London.
In a statement dispatched to mark the 25th anniversary of the bombing, current Tánaiste and former Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “We will never forget the people who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the families whose suffering continues today.
“My thoughts are first and foremost with all those impacted by this attack, carried out with disregard for democracy, and for people.
“I have been honored to meet with, and listen to, the families of the Omagh bomb victims over many years, most recently in June. Their search for the full truth of what happened has not been an easy or swift process.”
Michael Gallagher, who lost his 21 year old son Aiden in the attack was the keynote speaker at the commemoration and told the Irish Examiner USA at the event that the Omagh community remained unified and resilient.
“The huge turnout today is testament to Omagh’s spirit of strength and cohesion, 25 years after our small town was ripped apart,” he said. “They talk about this as being the worst atrocity of the Troubles, in fact, it was the first atrocity of peace time.”
Mr Gallagher’s Omagh Support and Self Help Group have secured the breakthrough of an Independent Public Enquiry into the 1998 attack, announced earlier this year by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris. The gravity of the announcement was reflected in the Irish Examiner USA front page cover story in our February 8th issue.
Omagh has been previously referred to as ‘Ireland’s September 11th’ by the families’ campaigner and Irish musician Bob Geldof, and Mr Gallagher thanked the support that survivors have received from Irish America over the years.
“We have close connections with the United States through our links with the September 11th families in New York, and those bereaved in other attacks around the world,” he said. The Omagh father is an advisor to the Manhattan-based ‘Strength to Strength Global’ organization which assists worldwide victims of terror. Mr Gallagher has also helped fellow survivor groups in South America including Colombia where he participated in its complex peace process.
American support to Omagh has also taken the form of a former US Marine, California based Lt. Colonel Mike Hudson who previously ran the Belfast Marathon to raise funds for the families’ efforts for justice. Maryland’s Salisbury University Professor Brian Polkinghorn heads its United Nations Regional Center of Expertise and has hosted the Omagh campaigner on campus twice where the Tyrone father inspired hundreds of conflict resolution students as he gave the annual “One Person Can Make A Difference” lecture.
Mr Gallagher followed in the footsteps of previous speakers at the Maryland university, from Nobel Laureates and former Presidents including F.W. De Klerk of South Africa to Lech Walesa of Poland.
The US Chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, Senator George Mitchell famously named his new-born daughter ‘Claire’ after an Omagh survivor, Claire Gallagher, who was blinded in the rural market town blast.
Michael Gallagher said, “Through the Irish Examiner USA, I want to thank the support that Irish-America has given to our campaign across the years. It has been uplifting and important, and we have made many alliances and friends that have helped us through the many challenging times.”