Breda Devine (20 months) was in Omagh with her mammy to get flower girl’s shoes on day of bombing, Inquiry told

The Donemana toddler was remembered as a ‘healthy little girl’ who was beloved by her family in a statement read on their behalf at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry on Wednesday.

Karl McGuckin, counsel for the Devine family, said: "On August 15, she was out in Omagh town centre with her mother, uncle and future auntie at the time of the explosion.

"She was due to be the flower girl at the wedding of her uncle and auntie which was due to take place the following weekend. The reason the family were in Omagh town centre was for Breda's mother to buy a wedding present for Breda's uncle and some shoes for Breda for the wedding."

Breda, was among the 29 people and two unborn children who were killed when a Real IRA car bomb exploded in Market Street in Omagh at approximately 3.10pm on August 15, 1998.

"Breda was 20 months old at the time of her death. She had been born three months prematurely and was said to have clung to life in hospital and had grown to be a healthy little girl.

"She was from Donemana, County Tyrone, where her family lived and had three siblings,” Mr. McGuckin told the Inquiry.

Following her death in the explosion Breda was honoured by her local GAA team in Donemana.

"Breda was the second youngest victim of the bomb, and her funeral took place at St. Mary's Church, Aughabrack. She was given a guard of honour by the GAA team her family were a part of,” the Inquiry heard.

The Inquiry is due to hear further evidence directly from members of Breda's family over the course of its proceedings during which more details of her life will be recalled.

The Omagh Bomb Inquiry was announced by the former British Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris in February 2023.

It was called after a High Court judgment that found there were specific issues that gave rise to plausible arguments that the bombing by the Real IRA could have been prevented.

Chris Heaton-Harris calls independent statutory inquiry into preventability of Real IRA Omagh bombing