The Hawkes family shared memories at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, detailing the impact of Olive’s death and identification challenges.
These hearings honor the bombing victims, giving their families a chance to share memories. This is the second week of the four-week event.
Olive Hawkes was about to celebrate a big anniversary; she and Percy would have been married forty years. The bombing happened just before.
The family’s lawyer read a statement aloud that came from the family themselves. They described their mother and her life.
“Mom was a homemaker,” they said in the statement, “Taking care of us kids was what mattered most.” Her husband had a great sense of humor, and together, they were great company for others.
“Mom ran the home, and dad accepted that.” They were a truly perfect match, the family shared. “We never went without, as kids, and laughed a lot.” She baked well and enjoyed her garden.
She made the family close, and we were spoiled. For over twenty-five years, she managed finances. The family went to a Methodist church, and she actively participated in the Women’s Institute, impacting many people positively.
They could only tell it was her by her shoes. She wore them the day of the bombing; the family had to identify her this way.
Mark knew the gold shoes so well. He saw them at the army camp morgue, and they didn’t get to properly see their mother then.
Fingerprints confirmed her identity later. The horrible truth added to their grief, making everything even more difficult to bear.
Her husband wanted to open the coffin, feeling heartbroken and very distressed. They all questioned if she was really there, at peace.
A kind policeman gave them comfort later. He said he took care of their mother’s body and assured them she had dignity, even then.
Their family broke apart that day in 1998. Her death still affects their lives deeply, and the trauma remains with them always.
