DUBLIN MASS:A SPECIAL service to mark the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bombing took place yesterday at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin.
More than 400 people attended the Mass, led by Fr John Gilligan, in commemoration of the 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, who lost their lives in the Real IRA bomb attack in August 1998.
The names of those who died were read out by Siobhán Flynn and Luke Kearney from Castleknock, Dublin, who were both born in the same year as the tragedy.
Fr Gilligan said many families suffered huge loss and pain in the bombing.
"It was a callous way in which our brothers and sisters were wiped out, and to this day no one has been held accountable."
Referring to the "horrific tragedy" of Omagh, he said "please God we will never have to experience an event like this again".
He added that "thankfully" we had come a long way since Omagh, and said that everybody had "a part to play in peace".
Fr Gilligan quoted President Mary McAleese who had said "we all have a responsibility to ensure that the poison of hatred that has contaminated so many generations is not passed on to the next one; that our children become the healers of division and the builders of peace and consensus" in memory of the victims of Omagh.
Speaking after the service, Lord Mayor of Dublin Eibhlin Byrne said there was "nothing more tragic than a life not lived", and if people did not promote peace we would continue to have tragedies.
In a message to the families of the victims, she said: "We may be geographically apart but the people of Dublin are with you in solidarity."