NI victims group heads to Manchester to mark 30th anniversary of 1996 IRA bomb that devastated city centre
A Northern Ireland group representing victims of terrorism are heading to Manchester this weekend, to mark the 30th anniversary of a massive IRA bomb that devastated the heart of the English city.
June 15, 1996, saw the republican paramilitaries detonate a 3,300-pound lorry bomb in the centre of Manchester.
The largest bomb to go off in Great Britain since the Second World War, it injured more than 200 people and caused an estimated £700m in damage. There were, however, no fatalities, which is attributed to a rapid emergency response that evacuated at least 75,000 people from the area.
On Sunday, victims group SEFF is to join a large number of survivors of the attack, sharing reflections, a poem and prayers to mark the solemn anniversary. There will also be a special evening service in a city cathedral a short distance from the Corporation Street site of the bomb.
Said SEFF director Kenny Donaldson: “We feel it is important that this milestone is marked and that we acknowledge and celebrate the people of that day – those who survived the attack, the police and the other emergency and ancillary services.
“We are pleased to be working collaboratively with Manchester Cathedral on this initiative, for they too share a desire to offer a space for those impacted to reflect.”
The group has been involved in commemorative events in Manchester before; in 2017, for example, they worked with St Ann’s Church in the city to mark the 25th anniversary of the IRA’s twin 1992 bombs, which detonated on the same day around a major shopping area.
“Three years ago, we also held a special service of remembrance and thanksgiving in the cathedral recognising those impacted by violence in the context of the Northern Ireland Troubles and who live across Great Britain,” added Mr Donaldson. “This latest initiative follows those previous efforts.
"We have always been so very appreciative of the proactive attitude of the faith community in providing that sense of support, of recognition, and the message of hope and renewal that has been offered.”
SEFF hope to see a broad range of people at the weekend event, including police officers and other emergency service personnel who served on the ground attending in addition to survivors.
They’re also encouraging people impacted by all kinds of terror atrocities in Manchester to attend, from the IRA’s 1992 attack to the horrifying suicide bomb by an Islamic extremists at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena in 2017, which killed 22 and injured more than 1,000.
Said Mr Donaldson: “Manchester has suffered from the ills of terrorism on many occasions, but the city and its people have stayed strong, resilient and unwilling to be captives to the actions of those peddling ideologies which brought about division, heartache and pain.
“It is important that we continue to remember events such as the 1996 bombing, Society needs to continually be reminded of the impacts of terrorism, it should not ever become complacent.”
The name standing for its core values – supporting, empowering, fair and focused – SEFF was originally formed in Co Fermanagh in 1998, but over the last 10 years has been providing support services across Great Britain to those impacted by Troubles-related violence.