Tributes to Omagh campaigners at premiere of new documentary

TRIBUTES to survivors of the Omagh bomb featured prominently at a star-studded event celebrating the life of US Senator George Mitchell, writes Peter Kelly.

A 90-minute documentary, ‘The Negotiator’ was screened at the SSE Arena in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter to a packed audience.

It explored the Senator’s rise from humble roots, born of Irish and Lebanese ancestry in New England, to his pivotal role in achieving the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Award-winning former Enniskillen-based journalist Trevor Birney, a one-time current affairs editor at UTV, travelled to Washington and Maine to film with the former Senator.

The chairman of the Good Friday Agreement talks named his daughter after Claire Gallagher, a survivor of the 1998 Omagh atrocity who was also present in the audience and met him afterwards.

Tributes to the now 91-year old former Senate Majority Leader came from President Clinton, Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern and Nancy Pelosi as well as former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

However, co-host at the event, Mr Birney singled out Omagh survivors for particular praise to the 400-strong gathering in the panel with Mr Mitchell.

“Michael Gallagher and Claire Gallagher are here in the audience,” he said. “And I’m delighted to have them here tonight and thank you for coming.”

He added, “There was so much that happened after April 10, 1998. There is now a generation of people who have grown up in Northern Ireland as a result of the Good Friday Agreement in relative peace.”

Senator Mitchell recalled, “The real heroes were in fact the people of Northern Ireland who wanted, made clear, and demanded their representatives reach an agreement. The political leaders worked in very difficult and dangerous circumstances.”

Sitting in the front row, Michael Gallagher whose son Aiden was among the 31 fatalities in the Omagh bomb, warmly recalled the George Mitchell who visited the town’s Market Street with President Bill Clinton in the aftermath of the atrocity.

He said, “Tonight it was a privilege to be front row and just feet away from the man who made the Good Friday Agreement happen. And to learn of the Senator’s background and his Omagh connection. Because of him, thousands of lives have been saved. The world needs more Senator Mitchells.”

Mr Gallagher was joined by members of the Stardust justice campaign in Dublin who attended the Omagh Bomb Inquiry in February this year to show support.

Gertrude Barrett, whose son Michael was among the 48 fatalities of the 1981 nightclub fire, said, “in tragedies and traumas, people need to be heard as well as seen. George Mitchell did it for the people. Tonight they were given recognition and it was important that Omagh wasn’t forgotten.”