Mourners pack Beragh chapel for grandmother killed on her birthday

Beragh Chapel could not hold the large crowds that came to say their final farewell to grandmother Mary Grimes who was killed…

Beragh Chapel could not hold the large crowds that came to say their final farewell to grandmother Mary Grimes who was killed in the Omagh bomb attack on her 65th birthday.

Mrs Grimes died in the blast as she shopped with her daughter, Avril Monaghan, who was pregnant with twins, and her 18-month-old granddaughter, Maura Monaghan, both of whom were buried yesterday.

The Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Sean Brady, yesterday condemned the bombers in an address to the congregation, which included local Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Ken Maginnis.

"Our hearts are filled with anger and outrage but when this atrocity is carried out under the pretext of patriotism, shame is added to this outrage," he said.

READ MORE

Dr Brady described the bombers' campaign as evil and devoid of justification. The bombers must go further than their recent apology to the people of Omagh and if they would not listen to the ballot box, they must listen to the voice of revulsion, he added.

"I ask them to listen to their conscience, and ask themselves: `Is this the type of person I want to be?'," said Dr Brady.

To give up on peace would be "the final surrender", he said. He told the congregation that this quest for peace should be done in the name of those who died in the bombing, so their deaths would not be in vain.

Hundreds of mourners from the locality were joined by relatives and friends of Mrs Grimes from her native Co Cork. Many mourners stood in the rain and listened to the Mass on loudspeakers.

The chief celebrant, Father James Grimes, was a brother of Mrs Grimes's husband, Michael, and also celebrated Tuesday's funeral Mass of Mrs Monaghan and her daughter, Maura.