Bomb victim’s mother was ‘ray of sunshine’

A LOUGHMACRORY woman whose daughter was among 31 people killed in the 1998 Omagh Bombing has been remembered as someone who was ‘a ray of sunshine’.

Mary Logue (nee McCullagh), late of Loughmacrory Park, died in the early hours of yesterday (Sunday) morning after a long illness.

She was aged in her early 70s and will be laid to rest following a Requiem Funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church in Loughmacrory tomorrow (Tuesday).

In the 26 years since the death of Brenda, the late Mrs Logue had devoted her life to helping to keep alive her daughter’s memory.

The cup for the Tyrone Junior Ladies championship is named after Brenda, who was a talented gaelic footballer.

Last Easter, at one of the last public events which she attended, Mary was featured in a special exhibition entitled ‘It’s Different for Mothers’, which was commissioned to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The exhibition, organised by Relatives for Justice (RfJ), featured 16 mothers who were bereaved during the Troubles. RfJ chief executive, Mark Thompson, praised the warmth and kindness of Mary’s personality.

“Mary Logue was the kindest, most generous and warm woman,” he told the Tyrone Herald.

“She was a ray of sunshine every time we met or or she came into our offices.

“This was despite the most egregious hurt when her darling Brenda was killed at such a tender age.

“While our hearts are broken, we can only imagine the devastation of her beautiful family as she passed from us.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to all of her relations and friends.”

West Tyrone MLA, Declan McAleer, also extended his sympathies to the Logue family.

He said the whole community of Loughmacrory was saddened by her death.

“Mary was a lady of great faith who inspired us with her strength and dignity as she battled against illness in recent times,” he said.

“We pray for Mary as she rests in peace with her beloved daughter, Brenda, and all her deceased family and friends and players to the Logue and McCullagh families at this time.”

Mary Logue was pre-deceased by her daughter Brenda and is survived by her children, Cathal (Joanne), Sean (Toni) and Karl (Aisling), and was a devoted grandmother to Olivia, Alisha, Shannon, Keelan, Cathair, Ella, Rhea, Ronan, Brenda Marie, Hollie, Cora, Zahra and Killian.