No family had suffered more during the Troubles, inquiry told

THREE generations of the Grimes and Monaghan families were killed in the Omagh bombing on August 15, 1998.

At the original inquest in September 2000, the coroner remarked that no family had suffered more during the Troubles.

Mary Grimes, her daughter Avril, granddaughter Maura, and Avril’s unborn twins, Evelyn and Eimear, were together celebrating Mary’s 66th birthday when they lost their lives in the attack.

At the Omagh Bombing Inquiry today, Mary’s son, Fearghal, accompanied by his brother Patrick, paid tribute to their mother – a woman born Mary Ahern in Co Cork in 1932.

Mary grew up working on the family farm before training as a nurse. She later worked in Glasgow, and during her time there, she visited Beragh, where she met her future husband, Mick.

The couple married and built a life together over 36 years, raising 11 children, running a large dairy farm, and becoming pillars of their local community.

“Our mother, Mary, was never idle,” Fearghal said. “She helped in the milking parlour every day, never stopped cooking, made jams of all sorts, knitted jumpers, mended our clothes, and created numerous patchwork quilts – now treasured family heirlooms.”

He described her as a woman of deep faith, whose generosity and kindness were woven into everyday life.

“She lived these values every single day. She was a modest woman, happiest in the kitchen in Deroar, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

“Her tragic passing, in the cruellest way possible, robbed us – her family, her husband, her friends, and neighbours – of the chance to repay even a fraction of the love and affection she showed to us all.

“The massive, dignified crowds at her funeral reflected the enormity of that loss, not only to our family but to the entire community.”

Meanwhile, photographs of key moments missed by Avril Monaghan and her three daughters over the past 26 years were displayed on a large screen at the Strule Arts Centre.

Among them were images of two of her daughters’ weddings and the opening of her son’s pizza shop – milestones she never got to witness.

Avril was just 30-years-old when she died in the Omagh bombing.

Her 20-month-old daughter, Maura, was the youngest victim of the atrocity, and her unborn twin daughters, Evelyn and Eimear, also perished.

In a specially prepared video, Avril’s daughter, Aoibheann Monaghan, spoke movingly about her mother and sisters. She described them, along with her grandmother Mary Grimes – who also died in the bombing – as guardian angels watching over their family.

“Mummy was the proud mother of four children at the age of 30. Each of her children brought her joy – Patrick was a special addition as he was the first boy on the Monaghan side of the family,” she said.

“Mummy was calm and always had a can-do attitude. She never dwelled on negatives. She loved to knit, creating beautiful pieces. Her life was tragically cut short, leaving behind a grieving husband and three young children – Patrick, aged five, and me and my sister, aged four and three – as well as the wider Monaghan and Grimes families.

“We were all so excited to meet the twins. But that day never came. Their scans are a heartbreaking reminder of the futures that never became a reality.”

Aoibheann described her mother’s story as one of devotion to family, dedication to community, and a profound loss that continues to shape those left behind.

She then spoke about her little sister, Maura, who was ‘a source of light and joy’ in their family.

“Her bubbly personality and unmistakable head of curly hair made her stand out, even as a baby. She lit up every room she entered,” Aoibheann said.

Aoibheann recalled how Maura had won the local Bonny Baby competition – one of many cherished memories.

“Maura had so much to give the world. But on the day of the Omagh bomb, three generations of our family were lost – Maura, who was just 20 months old, her unborn sisters Eimear and Evelyn, our mummy, and our granny.

“Maura never got to go to school, make friendships, or go on family holidays. So many milestones were stolen from her.

“But Maura will always remain a shining light for us. We have no doubt that the world would have been a better place if she had lived.”