BY MICHAEL BRESLIN
A storm of public protest has followed proposals by the Western Health and Social Care Trust to exhume an estimated 40 unidentified remains of patients buried between 1853 up to the late 1940's in a graveyard in the grounds of the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital in Omagh to make way for the new hospital.
The graveyard is marked only by a solitary stone cross that bear the inscription, 'Blessed be they that die in the Lord'. It is in an area known as Moore's Hill and is part of the land ear-marked for Omagh's new hospital complex.
One distressed female Fermanagh caller to the 'Herald' appealed to the Trust to leave the bodies alone.
"For years, my Granny talked about those unfortunate people who were put into a mental home, and there was no justification for it. It was just one of those things, people couldn't deal with mental health issues. It was the only option, but those people never came out.
"I don't think they should be exhumed. To think they're going to be left aside after the horrific life they've had, dying by themselves and that, now, they're further insulted by taking them out to throw them somewhere else'.
In a statement, the Trust confirmed it was involved in a consultation process with regard to the future plans for the Moore's Hill area where a new enhanced local hospital is being built.
The statement goes on: 'This has included the issuing of public notices in local and regional Press and a series of meetings with chaplains and local Councillors as well as information packs issued to local parishes.
'This has been with the aim of seeking out the views and opinions of as many people as possible with regard to the graveyard where patients from the old hospital were buried since the mid 1800's and up to 1946.
"Anecdotal evidence suggests that those buried on the site were patients who died while in the Mental Health Hospital and who were not claimed by relatives. At least 140 graves are present.
"The Trust welcomes a full and open discussion on the way forward and is actively encouraging responses from the public and their elected representatives.
"Already, the Trust has met with the Omagh District Council to discuss the proposals and this dialogue is ongoing'.
The Trust statement then sets out the three options which are under consideration. These are:
Development on the area: "There is no legislative requirement to re-inter those buried at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital site as Environmental and Heritage Service would permit building over the area. This was the approach for the graves at the Fever Hospital in Omagh Town, however this precipitated public anger.
Develop around the area: "This would mean that the graveyard would be central to the hospital site, and the appropriateness of this within a therapeutic healing environment with the aim of destigmatising mental health is to be considered.
Re-inter the Graveyard: "Respectfully remove those buried on the hospital grounds to a cemetery in Omagh and, in consultation with the Hospital Chaplains, to hold a multi-denominational service and erect a memorial as a mark of respect.
The re-interment is the Trust's preferred option'.
The consultation period started on May 4 and will involve local Omagh councillors, the PSNI, the Chaplains' Forum, archaeologists and families responding to the public notice.
The removal of the first bodies is expected to begin on July 9 and to last four to six weeks.
The new hospitals' project director, Mary Maguire said the Trust would be glad to hear from anyone who might be a relative of those buried in the hospital graveyard, and would be only to glad to allow relatives to make private arrangements for re-burial, should they wish to do so.
Where remains cannot be identified, a communal exhumation and re-burial will take place.
The site options for reinterment include the use of either Greenhill or the Dublin Road cemeteries, both of which are both multi-denominational.
A licensed undertaker will be appointed to carry out the works and, due to the specialist nature and scale of the task, he or she will take a partnership approach with a contractor.
Omagh District Councillor, Dr Jo Deehan, submitted that, 'this hugely sensitive issue' had the potential to cause enormous distress if not handled properly.
The Fermanagh caller was even more forthright in her opposition to the proposals to exhume and re-inter.
"Granny always talked about these unfortunate people who went into Omagh.
"There was nobody to look after them at home, and tothink that somebody is going to go in and dig up these bodies. I think it's absolutely terrible, and I know I'm not the only one".
