The murder of 11 civilians in Enniskillen in 1987 shocked world opinion and may have been a turning point in the Troubles, writes Denzil McDaniel
Jessie Kennedy is just four years old, and never knew the great-grandmother she was named after. But yesterday the little girl laid a wreath in memory of Jessie snr, one of 11 people killed in the Enniskillen Poppy Day bomb 20 years ago.
On the anniversary of the tragedy, relatives of the dead and some of those most seriously injured gathered at the town's war memorial for a simple and dignified ceremony. They were among several hundred people present at the event at the site of the explosion, and a minute's silence was held at 10.43am, the time the bomb went off.
At a service afterwards in Enniskillen Presbyterian Church, the relatives heard prayers said for the bombers.
"We pray that even now they remember the pain they inflicted," said the Rev Kenneth Robinson, Methodist minister in the town. "And that they would admit what they did and face the consequences."
At the ceremony in Belmore Street, relatives stood in the rain against the wall of the Clinton Centre. Many recalled that in 1987, in similar weather conditions, spectators stood against a wall at the same spot, not knowing the IRA had planted a bomb inside the building known as the Reading Rooms.
Eleven civilians were killed and dozens injured. One of them, local headmaster Ronnie Hill, slipped into a coma and died 13 years later having never come out of it.
The fact that all the victims were innocent civilians attending a ceremony to honour the dead shocked world opinion, and the event is widely regarded as being something of a turning point in the Troubles.
Yesterday, however, was more of an event for the families to remember. The wreath laid by the little girl was in honour of her great-grandparents, Jessie and Kit Johnston, one of three married couples to die.
James Mullan laid a wreath in memory of his parents, William and Agnes Mullan.
Another couple to die were Wesley and Bertha Armstrong; their son Julian was standing between them when the bomb went off but he miraculously survived. He, too, returned to the scene yesterday to lay a wreath, as did Steven Gault, whose father Sammy died.
Other relatives felt unable to attend the bomb site ceremony, including Joan Wilson, widow of Senator Gordon Wilson, who forgave the killers of his daughter, Marie, the youngest of the victims.
Mrs Wilson did attend the church service when Presbyterian minister, the Rev David Cupples, paid tribute to the bereaved for the way they responded to the tragedy.
"I admire so many of you and thank God for what I have seen in you. Where your souls could have shrunk, shrivelled up and died under a weight of suffering, in so many they were enlarged and you have a greater capacity to love now than you ever did," he said.
"Whatever has happened, you must not let this experience take away your capacity to love or else you become yet another victim," said Mr Cupples.
• Denzil McDanielis editor of the Impartial Reporterin Enniskillen and reported on the Enniskillen bombing