Omagh Bombing: The bombers' savage legacy: 28 lives snuffed out, hundreds left to mourn

The Victims

The Friends from Buncrana

Oran Doherty, eight, Sean McLaughlin (left), and James Barker (right), both, 12, all of Buncrana

The three friends were with the Spanish school group on a visit to the Omagh carnival when they were caught by the bomb. Oran's sister, Liza, recalled the last time she saw him. "He was looking forward to it all week and before he left he came into my room for sweets because he was a bad traveller. He took just two. Any other child would have taken a handful, but that is the kind of boy he was, so loving and gentle and generous," she said. Sean's uncle, Michael Doherty, described having to identify his nephew's body: "It was a terrible sight. I just hope that no one ever has to go through the pain of something like this." The image of James's bloodied face symbolised the horror when it was beamed around the world. His mother, Donna-Marie, and her English-born husband, Victor, had moved the family to Ireland from England "to give them a better quality of life". She recalled the last time she saw her son. "He was so excited he jumped out of the car before saying goodbye. But he did look back and smile. He had a beautiful smile," she said.

The Visitors from Spain

Rocio Abad Ramos, 23, and Fernando Baselga Blasco, 12, both of Madrid

Spanish victims Rocio Ramos (left) and Fernando Blasco (right) were part of a student party from Madrid staying in the borderside town of Buncrana, Co Donegal. Three host schoolboys also were killed and 10 of the Spanish party were injured in the blast. The Buncrana-Spain connection had been in place for more than 10 years and about 20 children and teachers remained in the town yesterday. Father Charlie Creaney, Buncrana's curate, said: "They are not strangers, they are like a second family to many people in this parish." The relatives of those caught up in the blast were due to arrive in the area last night after being flown in by the Spanish government. Francisco Alvarez-Cascos, Spain's deputy prime minister, also flew to Northern Ireland yesterday.

The Two Best

Friends

Lorraine Wilson, 15, and

Samantha McFarland, 17, of Omagh

Lorraine and Samantha were best friends who worked as part-time volunteers at the Oxfam charity shop in Omagh. On Saturday, Samantha (top picture) was in charge of the shop and refused to leave after the bomb scare because she was the keyholder. Lorraine decided to stay with her and they are believed to have died instantly. One of their friends said: "The girls died as they had lived, side-by-side." Lorraine was a pupil at Omagh High School and Samantha was studying A-levels at Strabane College. Lorraine's mother, Ann, said: "They were inseparable and looked forward to Saturdays, when they could be together all day." She said her daughter wanted to be a chef. "She used to cook our Sunday lunches every week. Now never a Sunday will go by without us missing her and thinking of her." Her father, Godfrey, added: "She was full of fun and energy. She played hockey, went horse-riding and was a great sports person. She will always be loved by us."

Philomena Skelton, 39, of Drumquin

Philomena Skelton, who had four children, was on a twice-yearly shopping trip to Omagh when she was caught in the blast, as her daughters tried on school uniforms.

Her husband, Kevin, was in a neighbouring shop when the bomb exploded. "We were only 3ft apart ... yet she was killed and I came out of it with hardly a scratch," he said.

The couple, who were Roman Catholics, met when she was 15 and married four years later. They were due to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this month.

Alan Radford, 16,

of Omagh

Alan Radford was one of the last victims to be identified and his family had to endure an agonising wait until Sunday night before his death was confirmed.

Then his brother, Paul, said: "I didn't find out until tonight that he was probably dead and it wasn't official until we went to the morgue and saw his body."

Mr Radford said it was so cruel that his brother had never been involved in the politics of Northern Ireland and yet had been murdered in such a way.

The Teenagers From Carrickmore

Gareth Conway, 18, and Brenda Logue, 17, both of Carrickmore

Brenda Logue (right) caught the full force of the blast after leaving her mother and grandmother in a shop to see why people were fleeing. The Roman Catholic schoolgirl, who was part of a family with five children, was a talented goalkeeper for a local Gaelic football team. On learning of her death her father, Tommy Logue, said: "I knew all along. I knew because the front of the shop was blown out and nobody could survive that." Gareth Conway (left) had gone into Omagh on Saturday to buy a pair of contact lenses when he was caught up in the explosion. Father Sean Hegarty, the Carrickmore priest, said he was a "happy-go-lucky" teenager and was looking forward to starting a new course at Omagh College of Further Education next month.

The Clothes Shop

Veda Short, 56, of Gortaclare, Ann McCombe, 49, and Geraldine Breslin, 43, both of Omagh

Veda Short, Ann McCombe (left) and Geraldine Breslin (right) died after they were evacuated from the clothes shop Watterson Bros minutes before the blast. Mrs McCombe's husband, Stanley, dashed home to Omagh to discover his wife was dead. Yesterday, his eyes red with weeping, he said: "Ann was my wife, and she was my best friend as well. No one could have asked for a happier marriage. The bombers are the scum of the earth and I feel totally numb." Mrs Short lived in Gortaclare, south of Armagh, and worked in Watterson's lingerie department. She leaves a husband, William, one son, three daughters and a grandchild. Mrs Breslin, of Omagh, leaves her husband, Mark, and their 14-year-old son Gareth. Father John Forbes described Mrs Breslin as "a beautiful woman who was the salt of the earth".

The Father

and Son

Julia Hughes, 23, of Omagh

Julia Hughes, 23, of Omagh was working at her part-time holiday job in Image Xpress, a photoshop in the High Street, when she was told to leave and ran into the full force of the blast.

She had been studying at Dundee University and was home with her parents for the summer holiday.

A friend said she was "bubbly and always game for a laugh".

Elizabeth Rush, 57, of Omagh

Elizabeth Rush was killed while serving customers in her pine and canework shop in the town centre.

She was in charge of the shop, which was next door to the busy Cosy Corner pub.

Mrs Rush also had a cafe upstairs that was a popular meeting place, especially on Saturdays when it was packed with shoppers.

Frederick White, 60, and his son,

Brian White, 26, of Omagh

Frederick White (left) - known as Fred - was a very active member of the Omagh branch of the Ulster Unionist party who died alongside his 26- year-old son, Brian (right), who still lived at home with his parents. David Trimble, the party leader, visiting the family, said: "His death and the death of his son is a tremendous tragedy for me personally. His family are in a terrible state."

Aidan Gallagher, 21,

of Omagh

Aidan Gallagher, a young mechanic, had taken a day off work to go on a shopping trip. Michael Gallagher, his father who also lost his brother to terrorism 14 years ago, yesterday recalled his last moments with his son. "He was just the way you would want him to be." After Mr Gallagher identified his son's body, he went home. "My wife was there and the kids were there and I didn't have to say anything, they knew it was over."

Brenda Devine, 20 months, of Donemana

Brenda was killed and her mother, Tracey, was left critically injured by the blast.

Olive Hawkes, 60, of Omagh

Brian McCrory, 54, of Omagh

Deborah Cartwright, 20, of Omagh

Three Generations

of One Family

Mary Grimes, 65, of Beragh, near Omagh, her daughter Avril Monaghan, 30, and Avril's baby Maura, 18 months, of Augher

Three generations of the same family lost members in the blast. Mary Grimes, a mother of 12, had been on a shopping trip with her daughter Avril Monaghan - who was heavily pregnant with twins - and her grand-daughter Maura.

Her husband, Michael Grimes - a retired farmer who worked for peace across the sectarian divide - was waiting to welcome his wife home with flowers when the terrible news began to filter through.

Neighbours spoke of Mary (top picture) and Mick Grimes as a devoted couple. "They're very good people, very religious, very private," a man said. "Mick's a great man for the family. He had a big family and they're all around him now. It's a big loss, but he has great faith and maybe that will see him through this."

People laid flowers outside the home in Augher, where Avril (right) lived with her husband, Michael, and their three other children. His brother, Brendan, said: "She was a very, very nice person, everyone will tell you that."

Esther Gibson, 36, of Beragh near Omagh

Esther Gibson, who worked in a local clothing factory, had recently become engaged and was due to marry next July. She was a Sunday school teacher for the Rev Ian Paisley's Free Presbyterian Church.

Kenneth Hawkes, 36, her fiance, said: "When they killed her, I died with her. I wish I was with her this minute. We had our rings picked out."

Ms Gibson was also related to Oliver Gibson, a DUP Assembly member for West Tyrone.

Joleen Marlow, 17, of Eskra, near Omagh

Joleen, who came from 12 miles south of Omagh, was set to decide her future later this week when she was due to learn her A-level results.

She had been doing work experience in the town's Tyrone County hospital where most of the injured were taken after the explosion.

Her younger sister, Nicola, was seriously injured in the blast and was recovering in hospital after surgery.

Their parents, Joseph and Bridie, were said to be "broken-hearted".