Northern Ireland

Commemorations in Omagh and Buncrana will mark anniversary

A memorial garden was opened in 2008 to mark the tenth anniversary of the bombing. Picture: Alan Lewis
A memorial garden was opened in 2008 to mark the tenth anniversary of the bombing. Picture: Alan Lewis A memorial garden was opened in 2008 to mark the tenth anniversary of the bombing. Picture: Alan Lewis

A number of events have been organised in Omagh and in Buncrana, County Donegal to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bombing.

Following the main annual commemoration service at the Omagh memorial garden yesterday, the anniversary of the bombing will be marked this Wednesday, marking the exact time that the bomb exploded.

Wednesday’s commemoration starts at 2.55pm at the site of the bombing at Market Street. A short service will be led by Omagh Churches Forum and will be followed by the ringing of a bell 32 times to reflect the 31 lives lost and an additional peal to remember all who have and continue to lose their lives through such atrocities throughout the world.

READ MORE:

  • Omagh memories of carnage, pain and bloodied footprints
  • Omagh bombing victim's father says bombing was a 'preventable atrocity'
  • Video: Michael Gallagher says Omagh bombing has been a '20 year nightmare'
  • Video: Fireman Paddy Quinn remembers the Omagh bombing 20 years on
  • Omagh Bombing – events leading up to and beyond the Real IRA bomb explosion
  • Omagh Bombing - questions and answers

The bell will fall silent at 3.10pm, the exact time that the bomb exploded. Following a song from a local artist, those present will be invited to take a flower petal to scatter into the local river or place in the Memorial Garden pond.

On Wednesday evening, a short commemoration will also be held in Buncrana, County Donegal at 9pm. The commemoration will be held at Knockalla Drive, the street on which victims, Oran Doherty (8) and Sean McLaughlin (12) lived. Sean and Oran died along with James Barker (12) who also lived in Buncrana and Fernando Blasco Baselga (12) and Rocio Abad Ramous (23), Spanish exchange students who were staying in the County Donegal town.