Public Inquiry Commemorates 29 Victims of Omagh Bombing

At the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, Patricia McLaughlin shared her heart-wrenching experience of losing her 12-year-old son, Shaun, in the 1998 bombing that also claimed the lives of two other boys and several Spanish students. In her emotional statement, she recounted the moment she realized Shaun was missing when he did not get off the bus after the trip, describing the agonizing wait for news and the horrifying calls from police asking for identifying details. She expressed her frustration over the funeral arrangements, noting that dignitaries received priority over the grieving families. McLaughlin highlighted the long-lasting impact of Shaun's death on her family, especially on his younger siblings, who struggled to cope with the loss. Despite the passage of years, she conveyed that the pain of loss has not eased, stating that the grief remains as profound today as it was at the time of the tragedy. The inquiry is currently holding commemorative hearings for the families of the 29 victims.