By Emmet McElhatton
A TIMETABLE has been published ahead of the resumption of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, detailing when the accounts of bereaved families will be considered.
The public inquiry into the atrocity, which saw a Real IRA car bomb kill 29 people, including unborn twins, and three Donegal schoolboys in the county town in August 1998, will continue at the Strule Arts Centre Tomorrow (Tuesday). Its aim is to establish whether the attack could reasonably been prevented by security forces.
To determine the answer to this question, the inquiry team, chaired by Lord Alan Turnbull, will spend the next four weeks reading and listening to accounts from bereaved families, survivors, first responders and other eyewitnesses. The first testimonies to be considered will be those submitted by family members of the murdered.
As well as allowing families the chance to fully convey the extent of the damage caused by the bomb, these witness testimonies, officially called pen portraits or commemorative statements, will also provide relatives with an opportunity to celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
While some testimonies will be read aloud by family members, others will be considered by the inquiry team in written format.
Proceedings will commence tomorrow with the commemoration of Fernando Blasco Baselga. Later in the afternoon the inquiry team will hear the commemoration of Rocio Abad Ramos by Paloma Abad Ramos.
Wednesday morning will begin with the commemoration of Alan Radford by Claire Hayes, followed by the commemoration of Breda Devine.
Later that afternoon Fearghal Grimes will commemorate Mary Grimes, then Aoibheann Monaghan will commemorate Avril and Maura Monaghan and Avril’s unborn twins.
This first week of the inquiry will conclude with three commemorations to be considered on Thursday morning: First the commemoration of Debra-Anne Cartwright, then Geraldine Breslin will be commemorated by Gareth McCrystal and Rosemary Cooney. Then, finally Gareth Conway will be commemorated by Shawneen Conway.
Members of the public who wish to attend are advised that the morning sessions run from 10am – 1pm and the afternoon sessions will be heard from 2pm – 4pm.
The inquiry will be livestreamed on Youtube. Those who wish to access it can do so by entering @OmaghBombingInquiry into the search bar.
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