President of Ireland calls for ‘culture of peace’ on anniversary of Omagh bomb

ITV News ^ | 2018-08-15

[CondoleezzaProtege]

The President of Ireland has led calls for a “culture of peace” as Omagh marks the 20th anniversary of the worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict.

Twenty nine innocents, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when a massive car bomb ripped through the Co Tyrone town just months after the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement was supposed to have largely ended violence.

A splinter dissident republican group opposed to the peace process, the Real IRA, was blamed for the carnage after inaccurate warnings meant police evacuated shoppers towards the bomb site.

Twenty years later, nobody has been convicted of murder and relatives of the dead will gather on the spot this afternoon for a short ceremony led by Omagh Churches Forum.

It 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 lost their lives through similar atrocities.

The victims included Protestants and Catholics, tourists from Spain and others on a day trip from the nearby Republic of Ireland.

One of the biggest police manhunts in history unfolded, but criticism of the police investigation led to unfulfilled calls for a public inquiry.

Sinn Fein MP Orfhlaith Begley said it had been one of Ireland’s darkest days and should stand as an eternal reminder of the constant need to build on progress made.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I learned of the anniversary on BBC world radio yesterday and found it interesting that the reporter made sure to acknowledge the two "unborn children" who were victims of the attack. The bell tolls in the city rang in their memory as well.

Poignant, considering Ireland's recent referendum legalizing abortion. The President proclaims the end of the culture of life while calling for a culture of peace.

[TallahasseeConservative]

There will never be a “culture of peace” as long as British veterans are prosecuted while terrorists are given positions of power in Ulster and the Republic of Ireland.

[laplata]

How can he ask for a “Culture of Peace” while they are murdering babies? I saw no objections to abortion.

[Pining_4_TX]

Politicians are so good at spewing banal platitudes. Nothing deters violence except swift, severe justice.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Omagh bomb?

Sounds like a bad Spoonerism for Obama.