<<
If there are any Irish members, especially from Omagh, please accept
sympathies from all on this side of the water. What a dreadful act.>>
Thank you Paul. I live ten miles away. Brother and brother in law passed
by the site not long before. Local hospital coped well, everyone who
could turned up to help, my wife (MLSO) was in for hours cross-matching.
From what she says there was a real wartime spirit about it all. Local
hotel sent in food, lots of local people brought in sandwiches for the
staff. People were coming in wanting to donate blood---which was not
possible but they were all thinking and wanting to help.
John Prescott arrived this morning, Mary McAleese (Irish president,
native of N Ireland) visited and I heard Tony Blair was coming but missed
some of the bulletins because minding daughter while wife went back in
today.
I did think of going in myself but have been off on sick leave for over one
year and decided it would not be wise for my mental state.
But I have never seen such rapid response and organisation---doctors,
nurses, catering staff all came straight in-----social services had a sort
of help and advice centre in the local leisure centre and they were there
trying to comfort frantic relatives, get info out of them and try to track
down victims. Victims were taken all over the province. The Derry
surgeons (33 miles away) were all set to come down to help too but stayed
in the end because they were getting some of the injured esp the worst
orthopaedic stuff. One of the MLSOs heard it on the radio while shopping
in Derry, jumped in her car and headed for Omagh.
It looks like this awful thing may well have exactly the opposite effect to
what the bombers intended---I think it will make most of us more determined
to have peace and make the political process work. I hope.
Thanks again
Declan
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|