https://k8s-accounts-01.ulster.ac.uk/repo24/files/original/aeb34f07b2a9e56635d77904df72d124.pdf bad65a58703cef698adc241b17ab6603 PDF Text Text Remembering: “Petals of Hope” Artistic responses to the Omagh Bomb Conversations with Carole Kane and Malachi O’Doherty 1 �Nicole Watt “The human justice system, made of imperfect people in an imperfect world, rarely satisﬁes our need for resolution.’ It was a typically cloudy day in Northern Ireland when I ﬁrst wandered into the Garden of Light, the memorial established to honour the thirty-one lives lost in the Omagh Bomb of 1998. Having recently emigrated from America, I was unaware of the garden’s meaning, only that I was heavily pregnant and it had a lovely lily pond which beckoned me to rest my tired feet. A bomb has never exploded in York, Pennsylvania. As far as I know there has never been a murder in the neighbourhood where I grew up. And yet, there were tragedies of a different kind, as there always are wherever human beings live. The crimes I experienced during my youth and early adulthood are those rarely talked about in public circles. Although society has changed much, most people are still not comfortable hearing the stories I could tell, nor the stories of others like me. No one will ever build a memorial garden to our lost childhood where we can gather to share our grief, to feel strength and hope in numbers. Most of us will never have the opportunity to pursue justice in a court of law. Defending the innocent and holding lawbreakers accountable is vital in a healthy society. However, I am all too aware, as are most of us, that the human justice system, made of imperfect people in an imperfect world, rarely satisﬁes our need for resolution. The bitterness and pain can linger for years, even decades, poisoning our lives and the lives of those we love.. What is the answer then? As a fellow sojourner on the path of injustice, I have come to believe that healing, closure and justice is possible, even in the absence of monetary compensation or an admission of guilt. I know because this is what has happened in my life. But believing in it takes a shift in perception. I have never had the opportunity to take those who harmed me to court, and yet justice has entered my life in the form of purpose. While those who pursue crime and evil lose their way, corrupting themselves and others, if we take the high road through our loss, we will ﬁnd noble purposes to pursue that beneﬁt us and others around us. When we are able and willing to empathise with others who suffer, justice and healing redeem us in the form of compassion? When we are able to bear burdens others cannot because we have carried such a deep grief for so long, we are given justice in the form of strength? When the suffering that has gouged our hearts one day, perhaps far down the road, creates a deep well that can now experience incredible joy and love, that no longer takes a single moment for granted, we experience justice and healing in the very gift of being more fully alive? 25 �When others trust us enough to tell us their stories we are given the honour of being witnesses to others’ lives? And by listening, we are being heard, too, if not by an earthly court, then by a much higher one, who judges not for this lifetime only, but for eternity. Stepping into the garden on this sunny autumn day, I am reminded of the millions who suffer and are not comforted: Abused children, victims of torture, those whose stories are still bound in shame and silence. Perhaps we cannot achieve earthly justice for ourselves and those we have lost, but maybe we can receive another form through helping others who have no hope of helping themselves. We can be the light shining in the darkness- a light so bright that it will be said of us ‘the darkness did not overcome it.’ No one can tell anyone else when or where or how the time of healing or surrender will come or when the pursuit of justice has reached its end. The road of grief and redemption has its own clock and the hour ticks differently for each person. But I feel compelled to speak out for those who have shared their story with me: whether the guilty ever receive their worldly due or not, I pray for you the same things I pray for myself- a life of joy, love, healing, divine justice- and most of all - peace. 26 �This publication has received support from the Victims Support Programme for Groups Working with Victims and Survivors, which is administered by VSS on behalf of the Ofﬁce of the First and Deputy First Minister. The views expressed do not necessarily reﬂect those of the Victims and Survivors Service. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Remembering 'Petals of Hope' (collection) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Some of the recorded stories can be found at the 'Petals of Hope Revisited' blog: <a href="http://www.omaghpetals.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.omaghpetals.blogspot.co.uk/</a> See also: Information about the original Petals of Hope project on Carole Kane's website: <a href="http://www.carolekane.com/index.php?/petals-of-hope/" target="_blank">www.carolekane.com/</a> Stories Collected Non DC - Number of stories recorded as part of the project. 15 video; 23 text Stories Deposited Non DC - Number of stories deposited with Accounts of the Conflict. 11 video; 15 text Collection Permission Form Non DC - Collection permission form signed and returned. Yes (signed 29 March 2014) Description An account of the resource The Remembering 'Petals of Hope' project (2013-14) produced a collection of 15 audio visual and 23 written stories related to the Omagh Bomb (15 August 1998). The work involved in conducting the interviews and producing the recordings was carried out by Carole Kane and Malachi O'Doherty. Carole Kane, a freelance artist / community arts facilitator, was involved in the original 'Petals of Hope' project (1998-99) in association with Omagh District Council, which, with the assistance of children from Omagh, transformed floral tributes left at the scene of the bomb into handmade paper and art work. This resulted in an exhibition in the spring and summer of 1999 and the publication of the exhibition catalogue entitled 'Petals of Hope' (1999). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Carole Kane, and Malachi O'Doherty Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Language A language of the resource English Relation A related resource See also: The booklet: Kane, Carole., and O'Doherty, Malachi. (2014). Remembering: "Petals of Hope" - Artistic responses to the Omagh Bomb. Omagh: VSS and Omagh District Council. Web sites: <a href="http://www.carolekane.com" target="_blank">www.carolekane.com</a> <a href="http://www.omagh.gov.uk/" target="_blank">www.omagh.gov.uk</a> <a href="http://www.omagh.gov.uk/district_of_omagh/omagh_remembers/petals_of_hope/" target="_blank">www.omagh.gov.uk/district_of_omagh/omagh_remembers/petals_of_hope/</a> The original exhibition catalogue: Kane, Carole. (1999). Petals of Hope. Omagh: Omagh District Council. The catalogue is available to purchase at this Web page: <a href="http://www.omagh.gov.uk/culture_leisure_and_tourism/visitor_services/online_book_store/?bookID=31" target="_blank">www.omagh.gov.uk/culture_leisure_and_tourism/visitor_services/online_book_store/?bookID=31</a> Permission Form Scanned Non DC - Scan of permission form uploaded to archive. Yes Delayed Access Non DC - Yes/No on request for delayed access. No Availability Online Non DC - Availabilty Status (deposited, delayed, external, cain) deposited Contact Non DC - Contact person within the organisation. Carole Kane (carolekane@btinternet.com) Jean Brennan, Arts Manager, Omagh District Council (jean.brennan@omagh.gov.uk) Publication A book, article, monograph etc. Author Author of the publication Watt, Nicole. Date Type Publication, Submission, Completion date etc. 2014 Publication Title Full title of publication, as it appears on item. 'The human justice system, ...', in, Kane, Carole., and O'Doherty, Malachi. (2014). Remebering: "Petals of Hope" - Artistic responses to the Omagh Bomb. Omagh: VSS and Omagh District Council. Publisher Location Place of publication: city / town Omagh Publisher VSS and Omagh District Council. Publication Type Report, Book, Manual etc. Booklet Publication Status Published, in Press, Unpublished, etc. Published ISBN 978-1-86-991922-1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 'The human justice system, ...', by Nicole Watt (story text) Description An account of the resource The text, in PDF (Portable Document Format), of one of 20 personal accounts related to the Omagh Bomb (15 August 1998). The accounts were published in the booklet Remembering: "Petals of Hope". Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kane, Carole., and O'Doherty, Malachi. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available VSS and Omagh District Council. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text; PDF; 269KB Language A language of the resource English Availability Online Non DC - Availabilty Status (deposited, delayed, external, cain) deposited Catalogue ID Non DC - ID for the Catalogue entry that relates to this entry 2298 Collection ID Non DC - ID for the Collection that relates to this entry 155 Organisation ID Non DC - ID for the Organisation that relates to this entry 154 Remembering 'Petals of Hope' Workers' Educational Association (WEA)