Hundreds gather for the 25 year anniversary of the Omagh bomb

HUNDREDS gathered at the Memorial Garden in Omagh yesterday (Sunday) for a special service ahead of the 25th anniversary of the bomb.

Lead by numerous members of clergy, the poignant service offered an overarching theme of ‘All things must pass, but the memories are lasting’.

Following readings from members of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, those is attendance remembered the innocent lives lost on the day of the Omagh Bomb as the names and ages of the victims were read aloud ahead of a moments silence.

Thirty-one lives were lost on August 15, 1998, the single biggest atrocity of the Troubles.

Speaking with following the service, Donna-Marie McGillion who survived the horrific attack reflected on the memorial.

She said, “It was emotional, hearing the names read out was hard but it also gives me great faith in the sense that we remember the 31 who didn’t come out of the town that day, we remember the pain and heartache felt by their loved ones.

“Courage, strength and community are the three words that come to mind today when you see how many people have came out today even after 25 years. It’s very uplifting and does the heart good.”

St Eugene’s Brass Band provided an emotional soundtrack to the service, inspiring a message of hope, faith and unity for survivors of the attack as well as the loved ones who lost friends and relatives on the day.

Following the moment of reflection, the Omagh Community Youth Choir performed a rendition of ‘Come and Join us at the Water’, a song written by Omagh native Daryl Simpson who also formed the choir following the horrific attack in 1998.

The song has previously been described as “a powerful reminder to keep moving ahead with hope – just as the rivers ebb and evolve, but flow ever-forward.”

As attendees paid their respects, the silence was lifted by an inspiring rendition of John Rutter’s ‘A Flower Remembered’ which was performed by Lucy Reid. The song was originally written in memory of the victims of the Tokyo area earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

Members of the clergy also came together to offer a special prayer for the community which read, “At this service of remembrance, in the 25th anniversary year of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, we pray for the healing and well-being of our community.”

The prayer concluded, “May we be instruments of your peace and channels of your grace.”

With readings of the Lord’s Prayer followed by a rendition of the hymn ‘Companion us, Lord Jesus Christ’, the special service concluded with a blessing and a word of thanks. Thereafter families of those affected by the tragedy were invited to step forward and lay flowers in the Memorial Garden.