By Joe Hanratty

LAST Friday morning a specially commissioned sculpture to commemorate the bombing of Castleblayney on March 7 1976 was unveiled in Main Street by Nobel Peace Laureate John Hume.

Mrs Anna Mone-McEneaney, widow of Mr Patrick Mone who was killed in the bombing incident exactly 32 years ago, was also there to unveil the monument that is named after her husband.

Among the special guests were the members of the Blayney Gardai who were on duty on that terrible evening.   All of them are retired now and all of them still reside in Castleblayney.

A minute’s silence was also observed and a lament was played by a lone piper. An ecumenical dedication and prayer service was conducted by Fr. John McCabe PP, Rev. David Nesbitt and Conon Jonathan Heyhoe.

Mr Packie Mone was 56 when he died in the bomb. He was sitting in his car which was parked beside the vehicle containing the bomb which exploded at 8.20pm destroying the Three Star Inn outside which it was parked.

Fifteen people were also injured in the blast which caused major damage to many buildings in Main Street and other streets in the town.

The monument contains hand carved lettering, various clock parts, an image of Mr Mone and some bicycle parts which recalls Packie Mone’s work as a bicycle engineer.

It was designed and made by renowned artist Remco de Fouw and was commissioned by The Remembrance Commission which was established by the Government in 2003 to provide financial assistance to victims of the Northern troubles from the Republic of Ireland.

There was a large attendance present for this special occasion many local people who recalled that fateful night in 1976 when the Northern troubled touched Castleblayney in a devatsating and tragic way.