'Evil was in the air' on day of mother's death

The girl of a pistillate who was killed successful the Omagh weaponry has told a nationalist enquiry that "evil was successful the air" connected the time of the 1998 attack.

Elizabeth Rush, known arsenic Libbi, died portion she was serving customers successful the acquisition store she owned successful the centre of the County Tyrone town.

The 57-year-old mother-of-three was described by her daughter, Siobhan, arsenic the glue that held their household together.

Libbi was among 29 radical killed by the Real IRA bomb, including a pistillate who was large with twins.

Siobhan told the enquiry she had arrived successful Omagh connected a autobus from Belfast conscionable 10 minutes aft the weaponry exploded and witnessed "a country of implicit carnage".

"The autobus turned, taking an alternate way to the autobus depot. It was evident that evil was successful the air," she said.

"I ran from the depot, acrophobic astir my mother. A policeman with humor connected his garment recognised maine and directed maine to the hospital."

Siobhan described the bombing arsenic "a transgression against humanity" which had destroyed the "simple, quiescent and mean household beingness of a woman, a parent and her family".

Paying tribute connected behalf of herself and her 2 brothers, Siobhan said their precocious parent was wide known for "her discretion and gentle nature".

Libbi was said to beryllium a bully listener and galore radical would telephone into her store to question advice.

The Omagh Bombing Inquiry was acceptable up to analyse whether the Real IRA onslaught could person been prevented by the UK authorities.

Libbi's hubby Lawrence Rush, who died successful 2012, was among the archetypal relatives to rise questions astir the constabulary effect and the relation of the state.

Siobhan said her begetter tried to question answers but was met "with a partition of silence".

"He demanded accountability and transparency. His confrontational attack was met with disapproval and ridicule," she said.

Siobhan added that their begetter was undeterred by the antagonistic responses due to the fact that of his emotion for their mother.

Her connection added that her household inactive believes "there has been a deliberate strategy to evade work by the state".

Earlier, a lad of weaponry unfortunate Sean McGrath told the enquiry helium missed the commencement of his archetypal kid successful London truthful helium could beryllium astatine his dying father's infirmary bedside.

Mr McGrath, a palmy Omagh businessman, had been caught up successful the blast connected the aforesaid thoroughfare that helium was calved connected 61 years earlier.

He died from his wounds 3 weeks aft the explosion.

Mr McGrath's 3 children submitted idiosyncratic statements to the inquiry, outlining the devastating interaction of his decease connected their lives.

Gavin McGrath, who lived successful England astatine the clip of the bombing, recalled however helium had to question to Belfast his spot his "horrifically injured" begetter successful hospital.

"My begetter was a fantastic antheral and deserved to unrecorded his beingness to the full, and for it to extremity naturally," his connection said.

Gavin recalled however his girl Polly was calved successful London connected 18 August 1998 - 3 days aft the weaponry - portion helium was inactive successful Belfast.

"Polly's archetypal trip, from our location successful England, to my hometown successful Omagh, was to spell to her grandpa's funeral.

"She was 19 days old," helium said.

A connection from Sean's different son, Conor McGrath, said his household has inactive not travel to presumption with his loss.

"Every day conscionable picks astatine the scar - possibly not arsenic earthy now, but inactive not healed and I uncertainty it ever will."

Conor besides spoke of the adjacent enslaved Sean had developed with his ain young daughter, Sara, whose commencement successful 1996 appeared to springiness his begetter a "new lease of life".

A location video of Sean playing and laughing with Sara astatine her 2nd day enactment - conscionable 4 months earlier the weaponry - was shown to the inquiry.

Sara was the lone 1 of Sean's grandchildren who got to conscionable him earlier his death, which Conor described arsenic devastating.

His connection besides outlined however determination were delays airlifting his earnestly injured begetter to infirmary successful Belfast.

"Apparently Sean was taken disconnected the chopper a mates of times due to the fact that determination were others successful much request – we volition ne'er cognize if this hold would person made immoderate difference," Conor said.

Sean's girl Noeleen said helium was "the champion of men" and would person protected his household from hard situations.

She said helium would person been "horrified to cognize we spent 3 weeks successful a horrible limbo astatine the infirmary wondering if helium would propulsion through, contempt his horrific injuries".

Samantha McFarland was volunteering successful the Oxfam store alongside her champion person erstwhile they were some killed successful the Omagh bomb.

The enquiry heard however the 17-year-old foundation store worker's beingness could not person been a greater opposition to the morality of the bombers.

A solicitor said the store was evacuated successful effect to the "so-called weaponry warning". It is believed Samantha did not privation to spell excessively acold arsenic she had the keys to the shop.

The youngest of 3 children, she was owed to beryllium a bridesmaid astatine her brother's wedding successful September 1998.

Samantha was a erstwhile pupil of Omagh High School and was studying for her A-levels astatine Strabane College.

In a connection work to the inquiry, she was described arsenic having a beauteous property with a "genuine kindness that radical were drawn to".

As good arsenic moving 1 time a week astatine the Oxfam shop, she besides volunteered astatine the Barnardo's store successful the town.

So galore radical attended her funeral, the enquiry was told, that mourners had to basal outside.

The enquiry president Lord Turnbull said: "Amongst the different atrocious nonaccomplishment we person listened to, we person heard of the senseless sidesplitting of children and young radical who were astir apical embark connected the escapade of big life."

Samantha brought joyousness and kindness into the lives of others done her thoughtfulness and popularity, Lord Turnbull added.

"One truly has to wonderment whether determination could beryllium immoderate greater opposition betwixt the generous and socially-minded cognition of a teen who chose to walk her precious spare clip of her young years trying to assistance those with little advantages than herself.

"And connected the different manus the morality of those who would locomotion distant from a car loaded with explosives successful the mediate of the main thoroughfare connected a sunny Saturday afternoon, successful the definite cognition that devastation would ensue soon thereafter," helium said.