The Omagh Bombing

Background Two weeks before the bombing, the Good Friday Agreement was signed to attempt to stop all sectarian violence. Many extremist Republicans were unhappy and believed this was the end of the Republican struggle.

The “Real IRA” The Real IRA are a Republican splinter group of the IRA. They believed that the IRA was going too far down the route of non-violent action and no longer represented their struggle. They were the ones responsible for the Omagh Bombing.

The Bombing On the day of the attack, a rigged car parked near the Omagh Courthouse. The Real IRA called the police and sent a false warning. This moved people closer to the rigged car. Four people were seen getting out of the Maroon Vauxhall Cavalier. This is the scene after the bombing took place with two of the ambulance workers carrying away one of the 29 dead.

Damage Recent reports say that over 300 people were injured. 29 people died instantly or soon afterwards in hospital. Among them were Protestants, Catholics and even a Mormon, not just Protestants as they intended. This is a photo that was taken just before the bomb went off in the car behind. The Spanish man and child seen in the photo both survived.

Irish Reaction The Real IRA actually apologised for the attack soon after. The local people were dismayed and overwhelmed. The bombing was named as the worst terrorist attack Ireland had ever seen.

International Reaction Omagh was visited by Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and the Pope in the aftermath. The incident was condemned by the world. Tony Blair issued a passionate statement saying that he would hunt down the people responsible.

Impact on the Peace Process The bombing obviously showed a failure of anti-terrorism guidelines. However it also progressed the peace process by galvanising people against the atrocity.

Results Two men have been tried in civil court for their actions, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly. £1.6 million has been paid in damages to the families of the injured and the dead. These are two men Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly that have been prosecuted for the bombing but also there is another two that have not been caught.