The sister of a teenager killed in the Omagh bomb has told a public inquiry his death left a wound in the family that will never heal.
Gareth Conway, 18, went to Omagh town centre on the day of the 1998 explosion to buy new jeans and collect contact lenses ahead of a date with his girlfriend that evening.
His sister Shawneen Conway told the inquiry into the Real IRA outrage that he was the “angel” of the family whose loss had left a “permanent void” in all their lives.
Addressing the chairman Lord Turnbull with her sister Michaela at her side, Ms Conway said their brother had left behind a “legacy of love, hard work and quiet strength that continues to be felt by those who knew him”.
“Gareth was a diligent, conscientious and humble young man who approached everything he did with a sense of care and precision,” she said.
Ms Conway spoke of her brother’s passion for woodwork and building things with his hands. The inquiry was then shown a picture of a model of the local chapel he had built out of clothes pegs.
She said Gareth loved animals, especially dogs, and also enjoyed playing soccer and gaelic football.
“At 18, he had all a young man would want,” she said.
“He was very happy and looking forward to the next stage in his life. He had his driver’s licence, a job in Omagh Meats, he was playing the game he loved.
“He had a girlfriend and had recently been accepted into university to study engineering. The fact he was going on to third level education was a reflection of his intelligence, determination and the bright future that lay ahead of him.
“Sadly, that future was cut short. But his memory remains as a beacon of what he could have achieved.”
She added: “It’s heartbreaking that he was taken from us at a moment when he was so looking forward to the rest of his life.
“In the family, Gareth was the quiet, dependable one, mum and dad’s helper, always willing to lend a hand with a kind heart and a gentle nature.
“He was like the angel of the family, good-natured and deeply caring. His presence brought a sense of calm and warmth to those around him.
“His loss was felt like a wound that never healed. After Gareth was taken from us, our family was never whole again.”
Ms Conway described the devastating impact his death had on all the other members of the family.
“The bombing didn’t just take Gareth’s life, it ripped our family apart and left a permanent void,” she said.
“It affected how I felt about where I came from, driving me away from Northern Ireland, the place that was once home now felt like a painful reminder of what had been taken from us.
“We became isolated, our family and our connection to the community deeply fractured.
“Since Gareth’s passing, not one Christmas has been happy or even bearable.
“His loss still reverberates through every moment of our lives. Gareth was a young man with so much promise, kindness and love.
“His life may have been cut short, but his impact will never be forgotten.
“He is remembered as a good person, an extraordinary brother and son, and a presence that will be forever missed.”
