Galway Advertiser 1998/1998_08_20/GA_20081998_E1_016.pdf 

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Comment & Letters

28 people brutally murdered; hundreds more maimed and injured; a community shattered with grief...but the bombers are 'Real' sorry
e all k n o w t h e e l o q u e n c e of well c h o s e n w o r d s w h e n t h e y a r e s p o k e n w i t h s i n c e r i t y in t h e c o n t e x t of s u c h a n a p p a l l i n g t r a g e d y a s t h a t w h i c h o c c u r r e d in O m a g h l a s t S a t u r d a y . B u t w e a l s o r e c o g n i s e h o w pitifully i n a d e q u a t e , h o w f a r s h o r t of e n c o m p a s s i n g t h e s c a l e of t h e h o r r o r a n d h e a r t b r e a k of p e r s o n a l a n d c o m m u n a l d e v a s t a t i o n t h e y fall. I t is a w i s e i n s t i n c t of b r o a d c a s t e r s , w h e n e v e r s o m e t h i n g truly awful h a p p e n s , s o m e t h i n g t h a t s h a t t e r s into a t h o u s a n d bloody f r a g m e n t s t h e n o r m a l c o n t i n u i t y of life, t o s i m p l y p l a y s o l e m n m u s i c . F o r m u s i c c a n s p e a k t o t h e h u r t c o n d i t i o n of s o u l s w i t h a n u n s u r p a s s a b l e e l o q u e n c e . O r s i l e n c e . R T E r o s e superbly t o w h a t the o c c a s i o n required o n M o n d a y e v e n i n g ; u s i n g o n l y black a n d w h i t e live footage of the e x p l o s i o n ' s aftermath, they d i s p l a y e d , o n e b y o n e , p h o t o g r a p h s of the 2 8 v i c t i m s . It w a s a s t u n n i n g r e s p o n s e t o the terrible i n t i m a c y of all t h o s e n e e d l e s s d e a t h s . ' V i c t i m s ' w e r e g i v e n b a c k their dignity as m e n , w o m e n and chil dren.

Omagh, a return to savagery
Dear Editor, Enniskillen, Belfast, A r m a g h , D u b l i n , B a n b r i d g e , O m a g h , w h e r e will it e n d ? T h e s e places devastated and s c a r e d by a l m o s t thirty years of s o called conflict! But I question w h a t is conflict? To m e it is s i m p l y a w o r d b e h i n d w h i c h m u r d e r e r s have h i d d e n , t o m e it is sim p l y t h e balaclava t h o s e c o w a r d s use to h i d e behind. Conflict i n d e e d ! W h a t con flict c o u l d m o t h e r s and children d o i n g their back to school shopping be i n v o l v e d in? S o p l e a s e all y o u w o u l d - b e j o u r n a l i s t s and reporters, w h e n report i n g t h e next N o r t h e r n horror, d o n ' t hide the truth behind the subterfuge of con flict. Spell it o u t a n d e x p o s e it for what it really is - c o l d - b l o o d e d murder and mayhem. Yours, William McKee, An upset s t u d e n t

Inappropriate cordon
Dear Editor, I was saddened to read the news of the death of another young man in Galway, yet while persuing your website I was astonished to see that the crime scene was cordoned off with beer barrels. Is this just another indication of h o w far brewery spon sorship has infiltrated Galway society? Surely the Gardai could have appropiated extra cones from the corporation, there are hun dreds lying idle on the roads of Galway ripe for taking. Cop on Galway, it doesn't look good. Is mise le meas, Pat S i m m o n s , Toronto, Canada.

W

More reports from T h e Roundabout from Hell'
D e a r Editor, Over the last month or so, unless driving with your eyes closed, you will have noticed a new development in Galway's traffic control system. Anybody going into, around, or through the city has to run a gauntlet designed by a non-dri ver with a twisted sense of humour. The predicted chaos as a result of the introduction of the city's pedestrian zone is noth ing compared to the bedlam caused by the recent unveiling of the new traffic lights at "The Roundabout from Hell". W h a t e v e r relaxed aura sur rounds u s after wandering through the car-free streets soon dissipates as we approach the busy junction at the end of the Headford Road. A people-watcher could n't find a better place - exhaust fumes not withstanding - to stand and watch our intelligent species struggle pitifully against a higher power. The city centre, two supermarkets, a cinema multiplex, and a bar rage of retail outlets feed an endless stream of victims into the monster's insatiable maw. It's the nearest most of us will ever get to playing Russian roulette. The dictionary definition of roundabout uses words like "stream" and "circulate" sug gesting movement and fluidity. That's hardly the image that's conjured up as we stall, jerk and buck along in a clockwise direction. It's not just Galway, all over the west roundabouts are doing their evil work. Castlebar was colonised by them long ago and Sligo con tinues to fight a losing battle. There is a man in a cap sitting at a roundabout in Manorhamiliton w h o hasn't moved in three weeks, if he stays there much longer Bord Failte will come along and put a plaque on his bonnet. People complain that it is unfair to bring new traffic con trols into the equation. We m a n a g e d for years without roundabouts - apart from the ones that came now and then with the fair - but we have only ourselves to blame, things got out of control when we all decided we wanted a car. The future of urban life, as seen a few decades ago, was to be Northern Ireland new town of Cravigavon. N o w it is notable as a stunning example of mankind's cluelessness - a place where roundabouts out number interesting places to visit. A shopping centre, a hos pital, a few man-made lakes, and a plethora of unpleasant housing estates all lurk in the shadow of a collection of roundabouts second only to the English town of Swindon. If you drive fast through C r a i g a v o n it has the same effect as a theme park ride with three syllables that sound like an Arnold Schwarzeneger film. Now, as the frenzied development around Galway continues, w e run the risk of the city being twinned or even "tripletted", with Swindon and Craigavon. T h e seemingly innocuous roundabout has become a modern version of one of the circles of Dante's inferno. Yours faithfully, Declan WeinAillebrack, Ballyconeely, C o Galway

IMAGES OF HORROR
In fact, in t h e case of the O m a g h b o m b , it h a s b e e n the i m a g e w h i c h h a s p r o v o k e d t h e m o s t intense a n d e m o t i o n a l reactions. W h o c o u l d not b e m o v e d t o tears of r a g e and pity by the p h o t o g r a p h s that a p p e a r e d in n e w s p a p e r s this w e e k : - T h r e e y o u n g nurses frantically w h e e l i n g a trolly o n w h i c h lies o n e of the v i c t i m s ; the face of o n e of t h e m twisted w i t h grief. - A n R U C officer, a full plastic b a g in o n e h a n d , w a l k s past t w o b e n t a n d t w i s t e d c h i l dren's buggies. - A w o m a n police officer cradles a s m a l l baby, w h i l e t h e c h i l d ' s m o t h e r , h e a d s w a t h e d in bandages, looks on, u n c o m p r e h e n d i n g . - T h e centre of the cyclone: M a r k e t Street, w h e r e the b o m b e x p l o d e d , littered with rubble, looking like Beirut, while a l o n e figure h o l d s u p the small w h e e l a n d h a n d l e b a r s of a bicycle. - A grief-stricken m a n , bent o v e r with his face b u r i e d in h i s a r m , b e i n g c o m f o r t e d b y a w o m a n , h e r o w n face white with shock. - M a r y L o g u e , her face still bleeding, comforts her son after b e i n g told that h e r 17year old daughter Brenda has died in the blast. - A y o u n g girl, an e n o r m o u s white b a n d a g e w r a p p e d r o u n d h e r face, h e r e y e s upturned to a friend standing at the side of h e r trolley, gently p l a c i n g h e r h a n d s o n h e r in a gesture of comfort. But a m o n g the most terrible i m a g e s w a s that of M i c h a e l M o n a g h a n , w h o lost h i s wife, w h o was carrying twins, and his 18-month-old daughter, and his m o t h e r - i n - l a w , l e a v i n g the family h o m e on Tuesday. In the p h o t o g r a p h with h i m are h i s t w o d a u g h t e r s a n d s o n , the oldest of w h o m is six years old. T h e a g o n y and b l a n k i n c o m p r e h e n s i o n o n t h e small face of the eldest girl, the fear and baffling grief e t c h e d o n the face of the y o u n g e s t lit tle girl, m a k e it almost impossible t o l o o k at the p h o t o g r a p h w i t h o u t w i n c i n g a n d w i t h out tears c o m i n g to y o u r o w n e y e s .

Hoop dreams dashed
D e a r Editor, On recently taking up basketball again, a sport I have not played since my schooldays, I have been looking for a court in town in which to practice before trying to organise a regular game with my eager friends. I am a young working woman, respectable in appearance and friendly in manner, and have been amazed by the attitude shown to me by caretakersXgardeners o f schools in Galway city. All I wished to use was the area of tarmac, not fenced off by school walls or gates but easily accessible, with two rusty old basketball hoops without nets, the formal courts fenced off and understandably under lock and key. What harm could I or others for that matter, have inflicted o n that huge unused space? When a section of youths have nowhere to play sport, particularly basketball, I am not sur prised mat joyriding and vandalism has increased, I'm off to find a car instead, enough of this basketball lark. the situa tion is hoopiess. N a m e and address with editor

Thanks for help
Dear Editor, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to yourself, your valued paper, and to all those who supported me on my recent one thousand mile bicy cle pilgrimage to Knock Shrine. I most grateful and deeply appreciate the interest of all in the pilgrimage. I particularly want to thank all those who made donations towards our Oblate Missions in the slums in Brazil either on the road, in the towns, or through the post. It is all very valued indeed. I want to thank all those who provided accom modation overnight free of charge. Mass is offered for all their intentions. The fund is still open. Donations may still be sent to me personally at the above address or through the bank (ATB ....aVc number 000011003 at the Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 10). Again my sincerest grati tude for your help. Yours sincerely, Fr Jim Butler, Mission Office, Oblate Fathers, Inchicore, Dublin 8.

AH OBSCENE APOLOGY"
N o w place against all of this u n s p e a k a b l e pain and blinding grief t h e s e w o r d s : ' T h i s is Oglaigh n a h E i r e a n n ( I R A ) . T h e r e w e r e three w a r n i n g s and there w e r e 4 0 m i n u t e s ' w a r n i n g o n e a c h of them...Despite m e d i a reports it w a s n o t o u r intention at a n y t i m e t o kill any civilians. It w a s a c o m m e r c i a l target, part of an o n g o i n g w a r against t h e Brits. W e offer o u r apologies t o the civilians." A p o l o g i e s ? N o t their intention t o kill a n y civilians? W i t h a 5001b b o m b ? A c o m m e r cial target? W h a t , a c l o t h i n g store, a n e w s a g e n t s , a restaurant? O h , y e s , I s u p p o s e t h o s e a r e c o m m e r c i a l all right. T h e s e w o r d s are truly o b s c e n e , a n d the pathetic a n d insulting p r e t e n c e of offering an apology, the sheer gutlessness of t r y i n g t o shift the b l a m e , the responsibility for t h i s slaughter off their o w n c o w a r d l y s h o u l d e r s only a d d s t o the obscenity. A n d let u s ask these ' p a t r i o t s ' , t h e s e b r a v e freedom fighters, t h e s e self-proclaimed h e i r s to P e a r s e and C o n n o l l y a n d Plunket, o n w h o s e behalf are t h e y fighting? N o t o n o u r s , and not o n behalf of a n y o n e w e h a v e s p o k e n with in the last few terrible d a y s .

W K IP AND S E L TIE WHISKEY THIS WEEK. AE ML
D e a r Editor, Regarding the petition to support Michelle de Bruin. Mr. Fitzpatrick, wake up and smell the whiskey, she was caught, do not compare guilt to persecution. Nobody likes to see a hero fall, but the reality is that an independent body has found her guilty, and all the petitions in the world will not change that Regards Dave ( ) ' Donnell. With reference to a letter published last week 'Water, Water everywhere, bat how much can we drink?', the pub lishers wishes to state that o n investigation there is no foun dation for the contents of the letter; that the city's drinking water is subject to a regular testing procedure both by the corporation and the Western Health Board and both bodies confirm there is no bacterial contamination of the city's water supply. T h e publishers apologise if the letter conveyed the oppo site. Editor.

A TRAVESTY OF THE IRELAND WE ALL LOVE
A h , but they will say, w e ' r e fighting for Ireland! W e are confused. W h i c h I r e l a n d ? W h e r e is t h i s Ireland? It's not t h e Ireland w e love, w h i c h m e a n s p e o p l e , families, chil d r e n , beauty, culture, sports, faith, a n d all the c o m p l e x i t i e s of n a t i o n h o o d that the m u r d e r o u s t h u g s w h o are b u s y fighting the " o n g o i n g w a r w i t h the B r i t s " c a n n o t e v e n g r a s p , s o blinded a r e they by t h e simplistic, i m m o r a l and e m p t y version of t h e ' I r e l a n d ' in t h e n a m e of w h i c h they kill and m a i m . A n d justify. T h e y w o u l d c l a i m t o love Ireland. But O g l a i g h n a h E i r e a n n h a v e n o love for the Ireland Avril M o n a g h a n , S a m a n t h a M c F a r l a n d , Lorraine Wilson. A n n M c C o m b e , and A d r i a n G a l l a g h e r loved. T h e y h a v e turned ' I r e l a n d ' into a idol, a blood-thirsty i m a g e w h i c h can o n l y b e sated with the b l o o d of the i n n o c e n t .
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T h i s w e e k , the event, c o u l d b e the decisive turning p o i n t in o u r country that voted for a n d s o desperately s e e k s p e a c e . T h i s w e e k the Ireland of decent p e o p l e rejected with h o r r o r and repulsion a travesty of Ireland w h i c h is n o t h i n g but the idolatry of d e a t h .