Moment of silence held to mark 25th anniversary of Omagh bombing

A moment of silence in Market Street in Omagh has marked the time that a dissident republican car bomb devastated the Co Tyrone town 25 years ago.

Some bereaved family members laid single white roses and then said prayers at the glass obelisk which marks the spot where the Real IRA attack occurred on August 15 1998.

A crowd of more than 100 people lined the streets as the short ceremony took place.

Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed by the bomb planted by the Real IRA, the worst loss of life in any incident in Northern Ireland’s troubled past.

It came just months after the historic Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and was the greatest loss of life in a single incident in Northern Ireland’s troubled past.

No-one has ever been criminally convicted of the attack.

Tuesday’s event was organised by the Families Moving On victims’ support group.

It follows a memorial service, attended by British and Irish Government ministers, which took place at the Omagh memorial garden on Sunday.

In a statement marking the 25th anniversary of the bombing, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said lessons must be learnt from the devastation caused by the atrocity.

He said the Government continues to have the deepest sympathy for all those who were impacted by the atrocity, the worst loss of life in a single incident in Northern Ireland’s troubled past.

Earlier this year, Mr Heaton-Harris announced that an independent statutory inquiry will be carried out into the atrocity.

He said: “Twenty-five years ago today, news of the bombing of Omagh reverberated around the world.

“The horrific terrorist atrocity of August 15 1998, committed by the Real IRA, caused untold damage to the families of the 29 people and two unborn children who were tragically killed, and the 220 people who were injured.

“To this day, it remains the largest loss of life in a single incident in Northern Ireland.

“The Government has the deepest sympathy for all of those affected.

“Taking place only months after the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, the bombing occurred at a time when the people of Northern Ireland were looking to a future without the violence that had sadly dominated the previous three decades.”

The Northern Ireland Secretary added: “The Omagh atrocity, just like other acts of terrorism before or since, had absolutely no justification, and never will.

“In February, I announced the Government would establish an independent statutory inquiry into the preventability of the Omagh bombing.

“While responsibility for this appalling crime lies with the murderers and those that assisted them, it is important that all lessons are learned and that confidence in this is given to the families of those affected, and to wider society.

“Last year, I visited the site of the bombing with relatives of the deceased – a very sobering experience – and crossed the road to visit the Memorial Garden of Light which commemorates all those who lost their lives.

“Today, like they were then, my thoughts are with the families and all those impacted by the Omagh bombing a quarter of a century ago.”

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