Prominent victims’ campaigner ‘humbled’ by Queen’s honour

THE head of a victims’ group that works with dozens of families across Tyrone has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours.

Kenny Donaldson, director of services at the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), said he was “deeply humbled” to have received an MBE for services to the community in Northern Ireland.

Mr Donaldson is just one of a wide range of people from Tyrone – or with strong links to the county – to be included on this year’s list, which was released on Saturday.

While it is based in Lisnaskea, SEFF assists many victims of Troubles-related violence and their families who live in Tyrone. The group are involved in organising the annual commemoration service at the site of the 1988 Ballygawley Road bus bomb.

Mr Donaldson said he was accepting the honour on behalf of the innocent victims and survivors of terrorism and other Troubles-related violence, many of whom he has had the privilege of knowing over the past 15 years.

He said, “It is the special people (members and others we support) who allow us to share in their lives; often the most painful and intimate aspects that truly makes the work we do so rewarding.”

Other recipients of the MBE with links to Tyrone include the former PSNI district commander for the Omagh area, Graham Dodds, for public service to communities across the North, and Jacqueline Mai Moore, district commissioner for Omagh District Girlguiding, for services to Girl Guiding in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, several people from the county received the British Empire Medal (BEM), including Wesley Atchison, who served as editor of the Tyrone Constitution and Strabane Weekly News for several decades before retiring last year.

Mr Atchison was honoured for services to journalism and the community in Tyrone.

Among the other local people to receive the BEM are the branch manager of Omagh Library Edwin Johnston, for services to public libraries, Ethel Elizabeth Liggett, for services to the community in county Tyrone and to nursing in Northern Ireland, Marjory Elizabeth Mulligan, for services to nursing and to charity in Dungannon and south Tyrone and Ann Elizabeth Margaret Thompson, for services to music and the community in Fintona.