Poppy Day Bomb Commemoration Remembers Wounded PSNI Man

A commemoration to mark the 20th anniversary of the Poppy Day bomb in Enniskillen paused today as prayers were said for the off duty police officer shot and seriously wounded as he dropped his child to school this morning in Londonderry.

The extra dedication took place as a special service took place in Enniskillen on the calendar day anniversary of the devastating IRA bomb which exploded without warning on Remembrance Sunday 1987.

Flowers were laid and a minute's silence held at the cenotaph where 11 people were killed during that year's annual commemoration service in the County Fermanagh town.

It was to be one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles, with the blast injuring a further 63 people, many of whom have never fully recovered - and prompting a visit some time afterwards by Diana, Princess of Wales, who dedicated a special memorial garden.

Speaking today, Enniskillen-based DUP MLA Arlene Foster said the community had worked hard to heal the wounds caused by the attack.

"You know it was very bizarre at the time because Enniskillen and Fermanagh was a community that always got on together and always worked along together," she said.

"However, there was always a very small minority who wanted to spoil that and they succeeded very much here for some time in Enniskillen.

"But the community has gradually come back together again and are very strongly standing against all sorts of terrorism and will continue to do so," she said - while also joining in the extra prayers being said for the young Derry policeman who was shot this morning - apparently by republicans - on account of him being a Derry Catholic who is serving in the PSNI.

(BMcC)