At 3.10pm a car bomb exploded in Omagh, County Tyrone, killing 29 people (plus two unborn children) and injuring 220 others. 21 died where they fell while 8 more died on the way to, or in, hospital. Of those injured at least 11 were described as critical, including two children, and 113 were detained in hospital overnight. Initially no group claimed responsibility for the bomb but suspicion fell on a splinter group of Republicans who call themselves the Real Republican Army (RIRA). Nine children (5 girls and 4 boys; including an 18 month-old baby), 14 women and 6 men died at the Scene or in hospital.
The bomb had been planted close to the junction of Market Street and the Dublin Road in the centre of Omagh. A warning had been telephoned to a news agency in Belfast approximately 40 minutes before the explosion but the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) said that the warning referred to the Omagh Courthouse which is roughly 400 meters from where the bomb exploded. Indeed many of those killed and injured had been moved from the vicinity of the courthouse and into the area where the car containing the bomb was situated.
Like many market towns in Northern Ireland, Omagh was full of Saturday afternoon shoppers. Many people had travelled into Omagh from the surrounding villages and countryside. It was a particularly busy time as women and children were in the town buying school uniforms and supplies in anticipation of a return to school. In addition a cross-community carnival was also being held in the town at the time of the explosion. Among the dead and injured were a group of Spanish children who had been studying English in Buncrana, County Donegal, and who were taken on a coach trip to Omagh along with some Irish children from Buncrana. One 12 year old Spanish boy died as well as a teacher from Spain. Three young boys from Buncrana, aged 8, 11 and 12 years, were killed in the explosion. Three generations of women from one family from Augher, County Tyrone, were killed: a 65 year old grandmother, her 30 year old pregnant daughter, and the 18 month old granddaughter.
List of dead
James Barker (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal.
Fernando Blasco Baselga (12), from Madrida, Spain.
Geraldine Breslin (43), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Deborah Anne Cartwright (20), from Birchwood, Omagh, County Tyrone.
Gareth Conway (18), from Carrickmore.
Breda Devine (20 months), from Donemana, County Tyrone.
Oran Doherty (8), from Buncrana, County Donegal.
Aidan Gallagher (21), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Esther Gibson (36), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
Mary Grimes (65), from Beragh, County Tyrone.
Olive Hawkes (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Julia Hughes (21), Omagh, County Tyrone.
Brenda Logue (17), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Anne McCombe (45, 49?), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Brian McCrory (54), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Samantha McFarland (17), Omagh, County Tyrone.
Seán McGrath (61), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Sean McLaughlin (12), from Buncrana, County Donegal.
Jolene Marlow (17), from Eskra, Omagh, County Tyrone.
Avril Monaghan (30), from Augher, County Tyrone. Avril was seven months pregnant with twins.
Maura Monaghan (18 months), from Augher, County Tyrone.
Alan Radford (16, 17?), Omagh, County Tyrone.
Rocio Abad Ramos (23, 24?), from Madrid, Spain.
Elizabeth (Libby) Rush (57), Omagh, County Tyrone.
Veda Short (46, 56?), from Gortaclare, Omagh, County Tyrone.
Philomena Skelton (39), from Dooish, Durmquin.
Frederick White (60), from Omagh, County Tyrone
Bryan White (26, 27?), from Omagh, County Tyrone.
Lorraine Wilson (15), Omagh, County Tyrone.