Aftermath: The Omagh Bombing and the Families' Pursuit of Justice

by Ruth Dudley Edwards

The Omagh bomb was the worst massacre in Northern Ireland's modern history—yet from it came a most extraordinary tale of human resilience, as families of murdered people channeled their grief into action. As the bombers congratulated themselves on escaping justice, the families determined on a civil case against them and their organization. In Omagh, on Saturday, August 15, 1998, a massive bomb placed by the so-called Real IRA murdered five men, fourteen women, nine children, and a pair of unborn twins. Although the police believed they knew the identities of the killers, there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. Taking as their motto "For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is for good men to do nothing," families of ten of the dead decided to pursue these men through the civil courts, where the burden of proof is lower. This is the remarkable account of how these families—who had no knowledge of the law and no money, and included a cleaner, a mechanic, and a bookie—became internationally recognized, formidable campaigners and surmounted countless daunting obstacles to win a famous victory. How these mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers turned themselves into the scourge of the Real IRA is not just an astonishing story in itself. It is also a universal story of David challenging Goliath, as well as an inspiration to ordinary people anywhere devastated by terrorism.

Genres: Terrorism, Ireland

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

After being a Cambridge postgraduate, a teacher, a marketing executive and a civil servant, Ruth Dudley Edwards became a full-time writer. A journalist, broadcaster, historian and prize-winning biographer who lives in London, her recent non-fiction includes books about The Economist, the Foreign Office, the Orange Order and Fleet Street. The first of her ten satirical mysteries, Corridors of Death, was short-listed for the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger; two others were nominated for the CWA Last Laugh Award. Her two short stories appeared respectively in The Economist and the Oxford Book of Detective Stories.

Series:
* Robert Amiss Mystery

Reviews

[James Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed the first half of this book, and as one with a keen interest in Omagh as both a writer and researcher, Edwards' access to the victims puts us in touch with feelings not available in other news stories. The victims become more human, less owned by the media. They move from the public to the private conscience. That's the real value of this book.

My issue began with the fundraising chapter and moving straight-through to the end. So much time is spent on the players of the trail and court proceedings, mostly on the side of the victims, that I never felt in the moment in the courtroom itself. The defendants never seemed more than cliches, and I wish the author had spent time making the likes of McKevitt and Murphy human, or rather, painting the problem of them as human. I realize this might be giving terrorists more than their due, and I'm in no way advocating for the likes of the RIRA. But to depict them as human lessens their monstrousness, in my view. Faces and names aren't enough. Besides their bio sheet and RIRA actions, who were these men? How did they come to do such things, besides the easy abstract notions of a united Ireland? Of course, maybe this book isn't the place for such things, an analysis too big for the scope of the project.

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First section : Not for the squemish!!
Lots of legalise thereafter!!
A chilling insight into the working of terrorist groups and the British and Irish governments obsession with appeasing them at the expense of ordinary law-abiding folk!!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping and well-written account of the worst incident of the Northern Ireland Troubles, and that incident's aftermath.