Reflections (finding hope after tragedy): Omagh Bomb 25 Years On, The Ulster Herald

This multimedia initiative involved making an extensive feature supplement in print and an accompanying video documentary to mark the 25th anniversary of the Omagh bombing. On August 15, 1998, the Real IRA detonated a car bomb in the centre of Omagh. 31 lives – including a woman pregnant with unborn twins - were lost and hundreds of people were injured. The attack took place just a few months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, yet it was the worst single atrocity of the conflict in Northern Ireland. No-one has ever been brought to justice for the atrocity, and families of the bereaved have fought relentlessly for a public inquiry which the British Government finally granted in February of this year. 25 years is a milestone anniversary and as a local media organisation based in Omagh since 1901, we felt it was important to mark the occasion with comprehensive, sensitive coverage both in our print and digital media outlets. We produced a 28-page print supplement which was published days before the anniversary. All the interviews conducted for the supplement were also filmed to create a 34-minute documentary for our digital audience. Interviewees included people who were injured in the attack, relatives who lost loved ones, and individuals who were central to the story on that terrible day, such as Omagh police commander, James Baxter and chief surgeon at the local hospital, Dominic Pinto. The title of our anniversary supplement - and documentary - was 'Reflections: Omagh Bomb 25 Years On'. We chose this title as our interview subjects recalled the events of that day, how it impacted their lives... and their reflections 25 years later. Our interviews captured many powerful accounts, particularly from the police commander James Baxter who has rarely spoken publicly about his personal feelings on the atrocity. The bomb warning gave an inaccurate location of the device and police inadvertently directed people towards the car which contained the bomb. Mr Baxter is still haunted by this and his interview was very emotional. We wanted the supplement to strike a delicate balance of recalling the horrors of that day in a sensitive manner, while also portraying the strength and determination of individuals and the wider community to recover and move on with life. Furthermore, as there is an entire generation in the town that has grown up with no memory of the bomb, the supplement provided first-hand accounts to help them gain a better understanding of the overwhelming scale of the destruction wrought by the Real IRA attack. One particular story of hope involved 'miracle baby' Chloe Emery. Chloe's heavily pregnant mum was caught up in the bomb blast. However, she and her unborn baby survived and Chloe is now 25-year-old woman with a Masters degree. In designing and laying out the supplement, we attempted strong use of images, impactful headlines and clean typography to enhance reader engagement. Our supplement marked the 25th anniversary with dignity and grace and is an important documentation of Omagh's darkest day.