Solidarity of Stardust families at Omagh inquiry as campaigner gives evidence

Relatives of some of those killed in the Stardust tragedy have shown solidarity with the families of Omagh bomb victims, as one of the best known campaigners gave evidence to the long-waited inquiry.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among the 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, who died in the Real IRA attack in 1998, was described as a “figurehead” for many of those affected.

It came during the second week of commemorative hearings for the victims at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

The inquiry is examining whether the attack could reasonably have been prevented by the security forces.

Commemorative and personal statement hearings will continue over the next two weeks.

The inquiry was announced last year, after a legal challenge by Mr Gallagher resulted in a High Court judgment which recommended a public inquiry into alleged security failings in the lead-up to the atrocity.

Among those at the inquiry at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh on Tuesday were Gertrude Barrett, whose son Michael Barrett died in the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin in 1981, and survivor Lorraine Sorohan, whose sister Teresa McDonnell died.

Last year an inquest concluded that the 48 people who died in the fire had been unlawfully killed, prompting a State apology to the families, delivered by then Taoiseach Simon Harris in the Dail.

Ms Barrett said they were there to support the Omagh families.

“They’ve had a long slog like ourselves,” she said.

Ms Sorohan said she wanted to show the Omagh families they are behind them and wishing for the best outcome.

They said Mr Gallagher had supported them in the past, adding “we have each other’s backs”.

“We’ve all walked the same walk when it comes to loss,” Ms Sorohan added.

During the inquiry hearing on Tuesday, chairman Lord Turnbull told Mr Gallagher that he was known to governments around the world, as well as senior politicians, and was recently praised by deputy Irish premier Simon Harris for his campaigning work.

Mr Gallagher described the toll his campaigning had taken on his family, but said there was a measure of consolation in hearing all the moving evidence at the inquiry.

“I feel, to put a human face to the person rather than a statistic, I think that’s been one of the consolations, even if we achieve no more than that.

“But I do hope that we will continue to answer some of the very difficult questions that we haven’t had answers to so far,” he added.

The inquiry also heard on Tuesday from the families of victims Ann McCombe, father and son Fred and Bryan White, and Olive Hawkes.