Teebane roadside commemoration for eight Protestant workmen killed by IRA bomb
A commemoration takes place this Sunday to mark the anniversary of one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles - when the IRA murdered eight Protestant workmen as they travelled home from work, at Teebane in Co Tyrone.
Eight died and six more were injured when their van was blown up by a 500lb road-side bomb at Teebane crossroads between Omagh and Cookstown on 17 January 1992.
This year marks the 34th anniversary.
The IRA attempted to justify the atrocity on the grounds that the men had been doing construction work at an army barracks in Omagh.
Ruth Forrest’s younger brother, David had just turned 24 when he was killed in the attack.
"On Monday I will be celebrating, I hope, my 60th birthday, which is something that my brother didn't have the opportunity to do,” she said.
"In fact he didn't even get to his 30th, never mind the 60th. He was only six days past his 24th birthday when he died, so it's mixed emotions, when looking forward to reaching the milestone of 60.
"There is just such heartbreak, to be honest, of not seeing him, you know, for all these years.”
Although the anniversary date is Saturday the service always takes place on the Sunday closest to it.
It will be overseen by Presbyterian minister Rev Ivor Smith – who was David’s minister - and the Reverend William McCrea.
"We normally have 200 to 300 depending on the weather but obvious after 34 years, quite a few people have died, including my own parents."
The format of the event is quite straightforward with the names of all eight men read aloud, some hymns and the laying of flowers.
The murdered men were David Samuel Harkness, William Gary A Bleeks, John Robert Dunseith, John Richard McConnell, Cecil James Caldwell, Nigel William J McKee, Robert Irons and Oswald Wilson Gilchrist.
The owner of the company the men worked for, Cedric Blackburn and his wife Frances, always attended the anniversary, but sadly both passed away last year, Ruth said.
There is an open invitation to the public to attend to service, which begins at 3pm, she added.