Omagh Bombing Inquiry Reveals Impact on Child Survivor
Testimony highlights the traumatic aftermath of the 1998 attack and its enduring effects on a young survivor.
The ongoing inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing, attributed to the Real IRA, has shed light on the severe consequences of the attack on survivors, particularly focusing on a mother, Caroline McKinney, and her daughter, Niamh.
During her testimony, Ms. McKinney recounted the events of the day that led to her daughter suffering life-altering injuries.
On August 15, 1998, a car bomb detonated in the centre of Omagh, County Tyrone, resulting in the deaths of 29 people and injuries to hundreds.
Ms. McKinney, a beauty therapist who owned a salon in Omagh, had taken her 13-month-old daughter to work with her that day.
She described how the bomb blast occurred shortly after a warning had been issued to evacuate due to a bomb alert.
Ms. McKinney stated that, upon hearing the alert, she collected her earnings, closed the salon, and moved away from the vicinity of the courthouse.
At the time of the explosion, she was left pinned to the ground by debris, while Niamh was thrown from her buggy into the street.
In her emotional testimony, she recalled the immediate aftermath of the explosion, saying, "There was a flash, there was a bang...
I was very aware of what was happening." She detailed witnessing her daughter, covered in blood but alive, being carried away by a passerby after the blast.
While Ms. McKinney was hospitalized at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, Niamh was initially treated in Omagh.
Later, upon becoming ill with symptoms including vomiting black fluid, Niamh was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where medical personnel discovered that shrapnel had become embedded in her brain.
Surgical intervention was performed to manage the shrapnel.
Ms. McKinney reported that doctors decided it was safer to leave the shrapnel in place due to its location in Niamh’s frontal lobe.
She noted, "It was safer to leave the shrapnel in her head than to take it out, she would have been at higher risk to get it out because it was so deep."
As a result of the injury, Niamh faces an increased risk of developing epilepsy, a condition that reportedly manifested when she was 11 years old.
Despite the harrowing ordeal, Ms. McKinney reported that Niamh is now flourishing in her life, engaged in activities she enjoys and traveling extensively.
The inquiry also presented photographic evidence of Niamh's buggy, which was severely damaged in the blast.
Ms. McKinney expressed gratitude for the buggy, suggesting that it played a role in saving her daughter’s life.
Additionally, she reported that, following the incident, the money collected from her business was returned to her intact.
The Omagh bombing remains a significant and tragic event in Northern Irish history, commemorated for the deep impact it had on countless lives.
The inquiry continues to gather testimonies from those affected and aims to provide a comprehensive account of the incident and its ramifications.
During her testimony, Ms. McKinney recounted the events of the day that led to her daughter suffering life-altering injuries.
On August 15, 1998, a car bomb detonated in the centre of Omagh, County Tyrone, resulting in the deaths of 29 people and injuries to hundreds.
Ms. McKinney, a beauty therapist who owned a salon in Omagh, had taken her 13-month-old daughter to work with her that day.
She described how the bomb blast occurred shortly after a warning had been issued to evacuate due to a bomb alert.
Ms. McKinney stated that, upon hearing the alert, she collected her earnings, closed the salon, and moved away from the vicinity of the courthouse.
At the time of the explosion, she was left pinned to the ground by debris, while Niamh was thrown from her buggy into the street.
In her emotional testimony, she recalled the immediate aftermath of the explosion, saying, "There was a flash, there was a bang...
I was very aware of what was happening." She detailed witnessing her daughter, covered in blood but alive, being carried away by a passerby after the blast.
While Ms. McKinney was hospitalized at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, Niamh was initially treated in Omagh.
Later, upon becoming ill with symptoms including vomiting black fluid, Niamh was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where medical personnel discovered that shrapnel had become embedded in her brain.
Surgical intervention was performed to manage the shrapnel.
Ms. McKinney reported that doctors decided it was safer to leave the shrapnel in place due to its location in Niamh’s frontal lobe.
She noted, "It was safer to leave the shrapnel in her head than to take it out, she would have been at higher risk to get it out because it was so deep."
As a result of the injury, Niamh faces an increased risk of developing epilepsy, a condition that reportedly manifested when she was 11 years old.
Despite the harrowing ordeal, Ms. McKinney reported that Niamh is now flourishing in her life, engaged in activities she enjoys and traveling extensively.
The inquiry also presented photographic evidence of Niamh's buggy, which was severely damaged in the blast.
Ms. McKinney expressed gratitude for the buggy, suggesting that it played a role in saving her daughter’s life.
Additionally, she reported that, following the incident, the money collected from her business was returned to her intact.
The Omagh bombing remains a significant and tragic event in Northern Irish history, commemorated for the deep impact it had on countless lives.
The inquiry continues to gather testimonies from those affected and aims to provide a comprehensive account of the incident and its ramifications.
