1. What happened in Omagh? An introduction to Irish history for Year 7 by Nicky Peart Ashfield School Ireland in Schools NPS University of Nottingham

2. Menu Lesson 1Aims: What happened in Omagh?Aims: What happened in Omagh? Slideshow: What is Ireland like? What descriptive words would you use to describe Ireland? Why are there troubles in Ireland? Omagh: What happened? An Omagh Remembrance - A poem by John Friel How do the people of Omagh feel? An Omagh Remembrance - A poem by John Friel Lesson 2Aims: What happened in Omagh?Aims: What happened in Omagh? Discussion Preparation How do the people of Ireland feel about Omagh, and react? Gwen Hall’s open letter to the 'Real' IRA from her hospital bed Discussion Preparation Questions Lesson 3Aims: Discussion - What happened in Omagh?Aims: Discussion - What happened in Omagh? Discussion lessons: How do they work? MapNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland

3. What happened in Omagh? Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background. Lesson 1

4. What is Ireland like? Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background.

5. Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background. What descriptive words would you use to describe Ireland? PeacefulViolentenergetic TraditionalMixed Un co- operative TroubledBeautifulDivided

6. Why are there troubles in Ireland? Since the 1600s Protestants and Catholics have been fighting over who should run Ireland. In 1921 the country was divided in to the Republic of Ireland, which was Catholic, and Northern Ireland, which was Protestant. However, this did not solve the problem and the fighting still continued. In Easter 1998 both sides agreed to be peaceful, on August 15 1998 28 people were killed in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Why did it happen? Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background.

7. Omagh: What happened? An Omagh Remembrance - A poem by John Friel One Saturday in Omagh in busy Market Street Where locals and shoppers would regularly meet They talked and laughed about things in the past Then suddenly they were silenced by a deafening blast. Concrete and glass spilled onto the street And innocent people fell to their feet Water pipes burst and so started a flood Those who talked and laughed were covered in blood Emergency services were there straight away To help injured people on that tragic day All those who helped were courageous and brave There were twenty nine people whom they could not save. Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background.

8. An Omagh Remembrance - A poem by John Friel Families cried as their dead had been named Others were traumatized, injured and maimed The people who live there were terrified and shocked As the centre of Omagh was violently rocked. How much is enough and where will it end The killing of innocent families and friends? Look at the damage, what have they done? A mother weeps for her dying son. This is the violence which everyone loathes The dead only wanted to buy food or clothes; Some went with friends, others went alone These twenty nine people are not coming home. Put aside your differences, hatred and fears For the people of Omagh as they cry endless tears. Our sympathies are with you and with you we pray For peace in our province and violence to go away. How do the people of Omagh feel? Aims To analyse an event. To see the reactions. To see the background.

9. What happened in Omagh? Discussion Preparation Aims To analyse an event. To prepare questions. To see reactions. Lesson 2

10. Aims To analyse an event. To prepare questions. To see reactions. How do the people of Ireland feel about Omagh? How do they react? A few days later, Gwen Hall wrote an open letter to the 'Real' IRA from her hospital bed. To be bold lads who ripped the heart out of Omagh: I will probably never know who you are - but you know. I'll tell you who I am. My name is Gwen. I am the mother of Alastair who is the bravest person I know. We and all the other victims of your ambush last Saturday would like to know 'why?'. I went to Hell and back lying injured in the debris and water and blood not knowing if my 12 year old son was alive or dead. By God's grace he survived and that is why I am lying here able to write. I wish you could have heard that child crying inconsolably yesterday as he struggled with the pain from his severed limb. That was what ripped at my heart. However, we are two of the lucky ones, for which I thank God. We do have a future. You may have broken the bodies of the people of Omagh, but you can never break their spirit. The last line of one of my favourite songs is - "God is watching us...from a distance." You can run but you cannot hide. On behalf of the people of Omagh - the bereaved, injured and anyone else affected.

11. Discussion Preparation You have a worksheet with a list of questions about Omagh and the troubles in Ireland. You have the rest of the lesson to prepare the answers to the questions in bullet points. You do not need to have the same answers as the person next to you. It’s your opinions that we want. Aims To analyse an event. To prepare questions. To see reactions.

12. Prepare all the questions below for the discussion next lesson. Lesson 2 1.What is Ireland like as a country? 2.What happened at Omagh? 3.Why did the bombing happen? 4.What were the reactions of the people of Omagh? 5.What effect does a bombing have on a community? 6.How can events like Omagh be stopped? 7.What events, like Omagh, have happened in your lifetime? 8.Would you go and live in Ireland? Why?

13. What happened in Omagh? Discussion Aims To analyse an event. To take part in a discussion. Lesson 3

14. Aims To analyse an event. To take part in a discussion. Discussion lessons: How do they work? The rules of a discussion lesson. 1.Only one person speaks at a time. 2.We respect everyone’s opinions. 3.Everyone will have the chance to speak. 4.The teacher is the chair of the discussion. They will ask the questions, but will only comment to correct information. So how does this discussion work? Every person in the room is given a playing card. The teacher has the same playing cards as the students. The teacher will shuffle their cards and take the card off the top of the pile. The person in the room with the same card will answer the question. Remember to concentrate. Your card could come out of the pile at any time, and it could come out more than once.