Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Martin lays wreath 35yrs after bomb
TAOISEACH Micheal Martin and Secretary of State Chris Heaton-harris laid wreaths yesterday at a Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Enniskillen, 35 years on from an IRA bomb at the event.
Hundreds gathered at the Co Fermanagh town’s war memorial to mark the occasion.
Mr Martin continued a tradition begun by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2012 by attending and placing a laurel wreath at the base of the memorial.
Mr Heaton-harris laid a poppy wreath on behalf of the UK Government.
Eleven people who had gathered to pay their respects to the war dead were killed and dozens more were injured in the no-warning blast on
November 8, 1987.
A 12th victim of the bombing died 13 years later having never woken from a coma.
After the service Mr
Martin said his attendance reflected “the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement”.
He continued: “We seek mutual understanding between those two traditions and that really is the importance and the need to continue to meet, to continue to engage and I’ve always found that to be the most effective way to build true, sustainable peace, understanding and reconciliation on this island.”
Mr Heaton-harris said he found attending the Remembrance event in Enniskillen “emotional”.
In Belfast, Lord Caine represented the UK Government at the cenotaph at City Hall, with Irish cabinet minister Heather Humphreys also in attendance.
Alliance Deputy Lord Mayor Michelle
Kelly laid a wreath on behalf of Belfast City Council.