A friend recalls the heartbreak of seeing Alan’s unopened GCSE results after the Omagh bombing tragedy
Omagh: On August 15, 1998, Alan Radford, 16, was shopping with his mom. A 500lb bomb exploded in the town center. Alan was one of 29 victims, including a pregnant mother. They all suffered from shrapnel wounds while shopping.
During the inquiry, Alan’s sister, Claire Hayes, shared a friend’s statement. This friend, who was bullied with Alan, described seeing his unopened GCSE results. She called it “awful” to remember that moment.
She said, “I think about him often; he was such a kind soul.” She recalled how Alan was always friendly, even when others bullied them. “He knew what I was going through and was so nice to me,” she added.
Alan’s former primary school teacher, Mrs. Porter, also spoke at the inquiry. She remembered seeing ambulances rushing to the hospital that day. “I thought it was serious, but I didn’t realize how bad it was until later,” she said.
Mrs. Porter learned about Alan’s death that Sunday evening. “The shock was horrendous and lasted for days,” she recalled. She felt sadness and anger, questioning why innocent victims like Alan suffered.
She worried about Alan’s fear of blood. “I hoped he didn’t see the horror around him,” she said. Returning to school ten days later, she broke down in tears. “It haunts me and will live with me forever,” she added.
The inquiry will explore if the bombing could have been prevented. It will also hear stories of younger victims, like 18-month-old Breda Devine and 20-month-old Maura Monaghan, who were shopping that day.
Breda was getting shoes for a family wedding. Maura’s mother, Avril, and Breda’s grandmother, Mary Grimes, will also be remembered during the hearings.
