Around 600 men, women and children observed a minute's silence at a candle-lit vigil in Blackrock, Co Louth, last night. People gathered in a public car-park in the village and lit peace candles. A spokeswoman for the vigil, who wanted to be known only as Una, said people in the area were upset at being associated with the bombing.
One woman, who also did not want to be named, added: "We just wanted to show our solidarity with the people of Omagh. I don't have words to describe the people who did this. The people of Dundalk don't want this. All we want is peace, and we want people to know that."
A larger turnout is expected on Saturday afternoon for a peace demonstration in Dundalk which will be addressed by a number of speakers.
Trade union and business organisations are recommending to their members that they observe the minute's silence called for by church leaders at 3.10 p.m. on Saturday. In a joint statement, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) said that, where practicable, employees may be facilitated should they wish to attend vigils or church services. "Congress and IBEC are united in expressing their sympathy to the victims and their families. We also wish to express our appreciation for the work of the emergency and medical services and all who assisted victims and the bereaved. Our aim is to allow everyone to express their support and sympathy in a way that demonstrates their abhorrence at the atrocity."
The Socialist Party has appealed to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to call a oneday stoppage as a mark of respect for the 28 people killed in Omagh. Members will today hand a petition with 2,000 signatures to the Union's Northern Ireland Committee.
Ms Eleanor Rodgers said they collected the 2,000 signatures in five hours, which proved the "massive support for the one-day strike in solidarity with the people of Omagh". She said the "stoppage" would allow Catholics and Protestants to unite in a show of strength against the bombers.
"There is a feeling that the enormity of this atrocity requires the strongest possible reaction from the people of Northern Ireland. If the trade union leadership doesn't give a lead and call people out they will be trailing behind the mood of their members," she said.