‘I owe my life to the people of Omagh’

Donna-Marie McGillion opens up about the bomb blast that left her with burns to 65 per-cent of her body, writes Victoria Housden.

It was the afternoon of Saturday, August 15, 1998 in Omagh. For many, it was an ordinary day; it was relatively cloudy, the temperatures were averaging 17 degrees Celsius, and the dry summer weather meant that local people were out-and-about in the town, shopping, chatting and catching up with friends.

The day for Donna-Marie McGillion (née Keyes), however, was supposed to be a particularly special one: She was getting married the very next week, and had excitedly made the short journey from her Omagh home into the heart of the town to pick out a few extra bits and pieces for her big day.

Joined by her husband-to-be, Garry Keyes, Garry’s sister, and his beloved niece, the quartet journeyed, up-beat and elated, into a nearby shoe shop – and then an explosion went off.

Now, 25 years on, we sit down with Donna-Marie to hear her remarkable story of survival, her winding road to recovery, both mentally and physically, and her inspirational love for life.

“I don’t remember very much,” Donna-Marie told the UH.

“I can recall the sounds; I can hear it… But I have no concrete recollection or memory of the bomb.

“I woke up six-and-a-half weeks later in the Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. I didn’t know what had happened – or how lucky I was to be alive.”

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Donna-Marie had suffered third degree burns across 65 per-cent of her body, lung damage and had further shrapnel wounds.

She was given only a one-in-four chance of survival.

“My injuries were extensive, and I was extremely sore,” she reflected. “I recall lying in intensive care, unable to speak due to a tube placed in my trachea to help me breathe, but I could still hear.

“It was only when the radio came on in the background, and I heard them speaking about ‘a bomb’ in a news bulletin that I realised what had happened.”

As the days rolled by, Donna-Marie learned more of the chain of events that nearly stole her life, including being air-lifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital after receiving treatment at the Tyrone County Hospital.

But in the back of her mind, the Omagh woman was still dreaming about her wedding – and walking down the aisle to the love of her life.

“Garry had also been badly injured in the explosion, and was admitted to the Burns Unit of the Royal,” Donna-Marie said.

“When he came and visited me in Intensive Care, we had a cuddle, settled ourselves and realised that we still could get married. Our beautiful day could still go ahead.

“So, we set ourselves mini goals – and the biggest goal of all was our wedding. It really gave me that fight to go on.”

SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

Earmarking a date in March 1999, it was a incredible blend of hard work and effort from the medical teams in Belfast, and the support of the Keyes and McGillion families, that enabled Donna-Marie, daughter of Malachy and the late Patricia, to be well enough to walk down the aisle.

When the big day arrived, it wasn’t just a celebration for Donna-Marie and Garry, but also for the town. Outside the doors of the Sacred Heart Chapel – the place where Donna-Marie had dreamed of getting married from when she was little – was a sea of smiling, cheering and delighted Omagh people; ready and waiting to celebrate the miraculous occasion.

“It was a joyous day, because we’d made it,” Donna-Marie recalled.

“I came out of the chapel at the end, and the whole town was packed. The entire town had got behind us in an incredible show of support.”

“But it was also bittersweet,” she added.

“Our flower girl had been injured in the bomb, and she didn’t make it.

“So, there was a tinge of sadness because she wasn’t there.

“But we made her a little card in her memory, and we kept her a part of the day.

“Our wedding, had it happened in August, would have been a much smaller occasion, in a different chapel, as at the time, the Sacred Heart was being renovated,” Donna-Marie continued.

“But the second time round, there were people who were instrumental in getting us down the aisle, and giving me a second chance at life.”

Donna-Marie, now a proud mum of two children – Cara, aged 22 this month, and Cormac, aged 16 – has always been open and honest in talking about the Omagh bomb, and, still, today, she receives treatment for the permanent injuries which the blast caused to her body.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ON

But even now, in 2023, there is not a day that goes by that Donna-Marie, aged 47, doesn’t think about the tragedy.

“It is something that changed our lives; an experience that is always there,” she said. “I am still receiving a lot of treatment: My daily life consists of being a mummy, a housewife and hospital appointments. I also attend therapy, and I have now become used to people taking a second look at me. It was hard at the time, but now, for me, it’s an incredible and powerful statement to make.

“There have been many horrible moments, periods of sadness and tough times over the last 25 years, but there has also always been a sense of hopefulness.

“And as the people of Omagh pay their respects during the 25 year commemorations, I will remember those who have passed away, and pray for those who are grieving, and still struggling.

“But I will also say a prayer for those in a positive mind, those who are moving on, and I’ll pray for the people whose lives have crossed mine, and inspired me to keep going.”

And despite it all, Donna-Marie’s love for Omagh, and its people, is as strong as it ever was.

“I always knew that Omagh was a special place,” Donna-Marie said. “The people are good here; they are caring and kind. I had a 25 per-cent chance of survival, and it was the great medical team of Omagh who gave me that chance. For that, I am eternally grateful.

“Because of the nurses and staff of Omagh, I am here today. And, ultimately, I am thankful for my family and friends – and thankful for life.”