The Omagh Bombing Inquiry has remembered the oldest and youngest victims of the atrocity.
The Real IRA bomb attack on August 15 1998 came on the 66th birthday of former nurse and mother-of-11 Mary Grimes.
She died in the atrocity alongside her daughter Avril Monaghan, who was pregnant with twin girls, and her daughter Maura Monaghan who was just 20 months old and the youngest of the 29 victims.
Inquiry chairman Lord Turnbull described the multi-generational loss as something that “constitutes an incomprehensible loss” and paid tribute to their family for sharing their memories of their loved ones.
The probe, which sits at the Strule Arts Centre in the Co Tyrone town, also recalled the second youngest victim, Breda Devine, 20 months, and 16-year-old Alan Radford on Wednesday.
It was the second day in a planned four weeks of commemorative hearings for all victims as well as those impacted.
The first tributes on Tuesday were paid to Fernando Blasco Baselga, 12, and Rocio Abad Ramos, 23, two Spanish tourists killed in the bombing.
Bereaved families and survivors gathered at the Strule Arts Centre for the second day of commemorative hearings, which included evidence from Claire Hayes about her brother.
Outside the inquiry, concern was expressed as to whether the inquiry, set up to probe whether the attack could reasonably have been prevented, will be able to uncover the full truth.
Ms Hayes, sister of Alan Radford, said she is very sceptical, with the Irish Government not being a full participant in the proceedings.
She said the car used in the bombing had been stolen in the Irish Republic and driven from there to Omagh.
Speaking to media after giving evidence to the inquiry, Ms Hayes said the loss of her brother is something she relives every day.
“Today was to portray Alan as a person, and more than a statistic in our so-called Troubles, he was a person who was loved very much by all of us,” she said.
“This inquiry needs to fulfil what the families need, and for that I want to call on the southern state, and for them to be compelled, not in a voluntary way, but to be compelled as a mandatory order for them to give all that they have and what they know in the knowledge that they had prior to Omagh.
“They planned it in the south, they built that bomb in the south and they destroyed our town, our lives and our family’s life forever.
“I’m very sceptical, I’ve come into this with an open mind as much as I could have, but given the fact they haven’t been compelled to take part, it has been flawed, in my opinion, from the outset.
“I don’t want this to be another 10 years of battling with the Irish Government to do what they should be doing. We have fought long and hard as families. I want this to be open and completely transparent.”
Earlier this week Irish premier Micheal Martin said his Government will co-operate “fully” with the inquiry, while Tanaiste Simon Harris said they “will not be found wanting”.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson raised the matter with Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
He pressed the Prime Minister to ensure that truth is delivered and justice arrives for the families of those killed.
Sir Keir responded, describing the Omagh bomb as a “heinous and cowardly terrorist attack”, which “shocked the world”.
“I do welcome the Irish Government’s commitment to co-operate with the inquiry, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has raised with the Irish Government the importance of working together on addressing these and all legacy issues,” he told MPs.
Lord Turnbull said during his opening statement last year that the inquiry will undertake its task “rigorously and fearlessly”, and emphasised the “defining character of the inquiry must be its independence”.
Later, the inquiry will hear commemorations of three generations of the same family who were killed in the bombing.
The names of all those killed in the bombing were read out at the inquiry on Tuesday morning before all those assembled were invited to stand for a minute’s silence in remembrance.
The commemorative and personal statement hearings will be heard over the next four weeks.
These will begin with bereaved families giving pen portrait evidence of those who died, followed by survivors, emergency services and those working in statutory organisations.
