'Never again' plead Omagh family

Bomb exploded in Market Street causing devastation

Omagh inquest: Day 10

A family which lost three generations in the Omagh bombing has asked for an assurance from the Real IRA that no such act would ever be contemplated again.

Mary Grimes, her daughter, Avril Monaghan, and her daughter Maura, were among the 29 people killed in the explosion on Market Street in the County Tyrone town on 15 August 1998.

Avril Monaghan was expecting twins at the time of her death and the two foetuses were also killed.

The plea was made in a statement read on behalf of the Monaghan and Grimes families during the tenth day of hearings at the inquest into the deaths.

Coroner John Leckey told the families of his "complete outrage" that such a tragedy should happen to them.

He said he could not recall any family which had suffered such loss in the history of the Troubles.

In a statement read out on their behalf at the inquest, the Monaghan and Grimes families issued a plea to those who carried out the bombing.

"We would ask, even beg, for an assurance from those who had any part in the bombing of Omagh to make sure that no such act would ever be contemplated again."

The statement went on to say that the families felt some other aspects in the aftermath of the catastrophe had been "hurtful" and "unhelpful".

"We refer to the weekly, if not daily, references in the press and in most news items, of the families of the 29 victims of the bombing when in fact 31 lives were lost.

"The unborn twins at this time would have been preparing for their second birthday."

When Mr Leckey was hearing evidence about the deaths of the Monaghans and Mrs Grimes, he referred to a picture he had seen of the twins.

Coroner John Leckey: Relatives face "harrowing time"

"Looking at the photographs, it is as if one is looking at two healthy babies."

The inquest heard testimony from a shop assistant at SD Kells, the store which took the greatest impact of the blast, that she had been serving Mary Grimes and her daughter and grand-daughter in the moments leading up to the explosion.

"The grandmother asked what was going on and I said there was supposed to be a bomb scare at Watterson's," said Sharon Robinson.

"The three of them started moving towards the door of the shop. The pregnant lady was carrying the girl over her shoulder. Then the bomb went off.

The inquest also heard how Anne McCombe, the wife of Stanley McCombe, was killed when the bomb went off as she was being moved in the midst of the security alert.

Mrs McCombe was a shop assistant at Watterson's drapery shop.

The coroner had earlier said that chance decided who lived and who died because of the indiscriminate nature of the car-bomb which exploded.

The inquest heard evidence from people who survived. Those standing next to them had not.

Kevin Skelton said his wife Philomena, 39, was just feet away in the shop next door to him when the device exploded killing her.

I ran out and found Philomena lying face down, just inside the door

Keith Skelton

Her husband said in his statement, which was read out to the court: "I was in Omagh town centre with her (his wife) shopping for uniforms for the children.

"Philomena went into Kells' shop while I went into the shop beside it.

"After about 30 seconds there was an explosion and the front of the shop came in around me.

"I ran out and found Philomena lying face down, just inside the door."

Asked if he was injured in the explosion, Mr Skelton said: "No, a couple of scratches on my forehead just."

'Group of acquaintances'

Northern Ireland Deputy State Pathologist Dr Derek Carson told the court that Mrs Skelton died of "multiple and severe" injuries, which suggested she was fairly close to the seat of the bomb and facing it.

On Tuesday the hearing also heard how one of the victims was with a large group of acquaintances, some who lived and some who died.

The court heard that Debra-Ann Cartwright, 20, who worked in a beautician's, was with her boss and others and had been moved to the bottom of Market Street where a Real IRA car bomb exploded in their midst.

She was later identified at the makeshift mortuary in Lisanelly Army Barracks in Omagh by her boyfriend of five years, Malcolm Fegan, who said in his statement he identified her "from her face and her hands".

Caroline McKinney, Miss Cartwright's employer and friend, described how she, Miss Cartwright and Ms McKinney's daughter, Niamh, then 13 months, were moved out of their premises during the security alert preceding the blast and walked down to Market Street.

When the commotion ended she realised she was "on the ground with McElroy's shop front on top of me".

Ms McKinney told the court she could not move, with the shop shutter embedded in her arm.

It was really chance, who lived and who died

John Leckey

She described seeing her daughter in her pushchair in the middle of the road, screaming, with blood streaming down her face.

Shrapnel was embedded in the baby's brain and the child underwent surgery to ease the swelling.

Before the blast, Debra-Ann and herself had been standing shoulder-to-shoulder - "we were laughing and joking with people".

Mr Leckey said: "It was really chance, who lived and who died."

Ms McKinney replied: "Incredible."

The inquest later heard that Miss Cartwright suffered a range of injuries, although her external injuries were much less severe and numerous than others killed that day.

Dr Derek Carson concluded that the blast itself - not counting the shrapnel injuries - would have had a very significant effect and that the young woman would have been unconscious before she knew what was happening.

Later Mr Leckey said: "With an explosion of this type chance does come into play and it can be a lottery who lives and who dies."

A young man who searched for his mother in the mayhem of the Omagh bombing and tended her in her final moments said the atrocity had destroyed his family.

'Memory of the injured'

Ian Short told the inquest he was "a walking disaster at times" and could not erase from his memory the sight of the injured and dying - including his mother, Veda, 56 - on Market Street.

Mother-of-four Mrs Short, from Gortaclare, County Tyrone, was one of three shop assistants employed by Watterson's drapers, and 26 others, who died in the Real IRA bombing.

Ian Short said in a statement which was read at the hearing that he was talking to someone in the doorway of a shop on Dromore Street when the bomb went off.

He went to the town centre, to check on his mother - and was greeted by scenes of carnage, "bodies lying all over the place".

"As I was walking through it, I was watching out for my mother, I just couldn't believe what had happened."

At Watterson's, away from the scene of the blast, he was told that his mother had not returned from her lunch break.

"I started looking for her and found her on a sheet. I heard people shouting and screaming. I couldn't get over it.

"I got my mother gathered up and got her into a car. I saw that she had severe injuries and got her rushed to the hospital.

"She was laid on the floor as there was no room for her." A doctor and nurse worked with Mrs Short for a time, he said.

"I don't remember the doctor saying anything but I knew she was dead. I don't know what happened but I got in touch with my Dad, who arrived, and my sisters, and told them Mum was dead."

Northern Ireland State Pathologist Professor Jack Crane said Mrs Short suffered multiple injuries.

Mr Leckey said he was moved by Mr Short's words, adding: "I can understand why his experience has proved to be so traumatic and distressing to him."