Enniskillen Poppy Day bomb victims still in ‘horrendous’ daily pain on 34th anniversary

Survivors of the Enniskillen bombing have spoken of the “horrendous” pain and suffering they live with, on the 34th anniversary of the atrocity.
Enniskillen bomb survivor Jim Dixon and his wife Anna lay flowers at the cenotaph in the town, to mark the 34th anniversary of the atrocity, on 8 November 2021. Photo: Roy Crawford Photography.Enniskillen bomb survivor Jim Dixon and his wife Anna lay flowers at the cenotaph in the town, to mark the 34th anniversary of the atrocity, on 8 November 2021. Photo: Roy Crawford Photography.
Enniskillen bomb survivor Jim Dixon and his wife Anna lay flowers at the cenotaph in the town, to mark the 34th anniversary of the atrocity, on 8 November 2021. Photo: Roy Crawford Photography.

Twelve people were killed and almost 70 others were injured in the IRA bombing of a Remembrance Sunday commemoration in  Enniskillen in 1987 which shocked the world.

Today survivors laid wreaths at the cenotaph in the town to mark the anniversary of the attack.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jim Dixon is now in his 80s and has endured dozens of operations as a result of his injuries from the bombing. He took part as chairman of the Ely Centre in Enniskillen, which supports victims of the Troubles.

”It was a pleasant event, marking the horrendous sacrifices of people lost in the wars and also in the Enniskillen bomb,” he said. Mr Dixon still suffers from “horrendous injuries” and is in constant pain.

“My head was smashed badly and that is where most of the pain comes from.” His tongue is 80% paralysed and his cheeks are also paralysed. “It is an horrendous way to be left. I can’t even swallow my spittle.”

Stephen Gault, whose father Samuel was killed in the attack, still lives with deep physical and mental scars. The 52-year-old now has psoriatic arthritis in all his joints “from head to toe”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: ”As I get older the pain has spread to all my joints. It is just gradually getting worse as each year goes by. I am in pain 24/7 and take a lot of medication and painkillers.”

About 4 years ago he had one wrist removed and a metal bar inserted to fuse his wrist. He is now awaiting a wrist replacement on the other arm. He also suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Since the day of the bomb I have been living a life sentence,” he said. “It is so frustrating when you see things on television about an amnesty for the IRA and prosecution of British soldiers. Yet there is no light at the end of the tunnel for prosecutions for us. There is definitely a hierarchy of victims.”

The DUP’s Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine remembered the victims during Members’ Statements in the Northern Ireland Assembly today. Mrs Erskine also challenged the Government about their legacy plans, which critics have labelled as an amnesty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is taking us backward not forward,” she said. “It is immoral and it flies in the face of the rule of law.”

Kenny Donaldson, Director of Services with the South East Fermanagh Foundation, said: “Words and nice sentiments aren’t enough; the Enniskillen families have never received resources to bring about accountability for their loved one’s murders, they were denied a memorial garden so they might have had somewhere to reflect and they have seen no progression on the compensation issue for victims of Libyan semtex.”

MORE NEWS

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry

Editor