Aftermath: The Omagh Bombing and the Families' Pursuit of Justice

New
Paperback
2010
$9.83

On Saturday 15th August, 1998, a massive bomb placed by the so-called Real IRA ripped through the town of Omagh, killing twenty-nine people, including eleven children, and injuring over two hundred. It was the worst massacre in Northern Ireland's modern history- yet from it came a most extraordinary tale of human resilience, as the families of ten of the dead channelled their grief into action. Taking for their motto, 'For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is for good men to do nothing', they decided to pursue the men whom the police believed responsible for the atrocity through the civil courts, where the burden of proof is lower. This is the remarkable account of how these families- who had no knowledge of the law and no money- became internationally recognised, formiddable campaigners and surmounted countless daunting obstacles to win a famous victory. Longlisted for the Orwell Prize 2010

Synopsis

On Saturday 15th August, 1998, a massive bomb placed by the so-called Real IRA ripped through the town of Omagh, killing twenty-nine people, including eleven children, and injuring over two hundred. It was the worst massacre in Northern Ireland's modern history- yet from it came a most extraordinary tale of human resilience, as the families of ten of the dead channelled their grief into action. Taking for their motto, 'For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is for good men to do nothing', they decided to pursue the men whom the police believed responsible for the atrocity through the civil courts, where the burden of proof is lower. This is the remarkable account of how these families- who had no knowledge of the law and no money- became internationally recognised, formiddable campaigners and surmounted countless daunting obstacles to win a famous victory. Longlisted for the Orwell Prize 2010

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 04 Mar 2010
ISBN 10: 0099472171
ISBN 13: 9780099472179
Book Overview: A remarkable human, political and legal story: an insider's account of the landmark attempt to bring the Omagh bombers to justice.
Prizes: Winner of CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction 2010.

Media Reviews

This vital, powerful book tells a story of loss, resilience and terrorism... Distinguished historian and journalist Ruth Dudley Edwards was centrally involved in the bringing of this Omagh civil case. In her impressive and vivid book, Aftermath, she becomes the families' crusading chronicler... this book...recounts a remarkable story of victims' resilience and vindication, and deserves to be very widely read -- Richard English * Irish Times *
A remarkable and moving story, told in masterly fashion by Ruth Dudley Edwards. Her narrative grips from the start. It is as compelling as a thriller and displays the sympathetic imagination of a great novel... This is an extraordinary and uplifting story of how a group of ordinary people managed to get the justice they sought. It is beautifully told -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *
The Omagh families have not only held terrorists to account for the death of their loved ones; their legacy is a new legal remedy for victims of violence everywhere -- Liam Clark * Sunday Times *
A moving and thrilling story about brave people who turned tragedy into triumph * Peter Mandelson *
The merit of Ruth Dudley Edwards's valuable book about the Omagh families' pursuit of justice is that it meticulously chronicles how they did so, charting the enormous efforts involved in raising large amounts of money and getting the case under way * Independent *

Author Bio

Ruth Dudley Edwards is an historian, journalist and crime writer. Her non-fiction includes Victor Gollancz: a Biography (winner of the James Tate Black Memorial Prize), The Pursuit of Reason: The Economist, 1843-1993, and, most recently, Newspapermen; her nine crime novels are satires on the British Establishment.