A woman who was blinded by the Omagh bombing has said she has not let her disability “hold her back”. 

On 15th August 1998, most people thought the Troubles were over. 

The Good Friday Agreement had been signed and both loyalists and Provisional IRA had promised to renounce violence. 

The explosion of a bomb planted by the dissident republicans of the Real IRA shattered that illusion. 

At the time, Claire Bowes was a 15-year-old teenager and looking back considers herself to have led a relatively “average” teenage life. 

“Like most 15-year-olds, I was very carefree,” she told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“I was always a worrier, to be honest, but would have kept that to myself when the rest of the world wouldn’t have realised how much I worried about things like that. 

“Pretty much your happy go lucky, carefree teenager, just enjoying life and doing all the usual things teenagers do. 

“We’d been to a teenage disco the night before and a friend had stayed over.”

File photo of RUC officers and firefighters inspecting the damage caused by a bomb explosion in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland in August 1998. Picture by: Paul McErlane/PA Wire/PA Images

Although she often felt worried growing up, on the day of the bomb itself she had none at all but as soon as the explosion took place she knew something terrible had happened. 

“I lost my sight instantly,” she said.

“I thought at the time it was dust and dirt or something in my eyes but straight away I wasn’t able to see.” 

Despite this, she managed to remain positive and stressed that she feels “so lucky to be alive”. 

“Initially, there was probably a bit of denial… in that I wasn’t going to let this impact my life,” she said. 

“I just wanted things to return to normality as I knew it.” 

Since the bombing, she has studied for a degree, a masters, started a family and opened her own business, the Omagh Music Academy. 

“I didn’t let it hold me back in any way,” she said. 

“It wasn’t always easy and I am very fortunate that I have a hugely supportive family and was brought up with the attitude of, ‘You can do whatever you want to do if you work hard and put your mind to it.’”

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Main image: The scene of the car bombing in the centre of Omagh, Co Tyrone (AP Photo / Paul McErlane)