A 17-year-old girl killed in the Omagh bombing was denied the chance to “accomplish her life’s full potential”, an inquiry has been told. Jolene Marlow was one of several victims of the atrocity remembered in commemorative statements at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry on Wednesday. In a statement read out on behalf of Jolene’s mother Bridie, the inquiry was told of her strong academic abilities. “Right from the start, Jolene was a special child. She had reached all of her normal childhood milestones much earlier than expected, such as walking at only 10 months old, talking and reciting nursery rhymes.”.

She went through her schooling a year younger than most of the other pupils in her class. “Jolene’s early attendance at secondary school never stopped her from achieving success in both her studies and her sporting activities. “She excelled in playing ladies’ Gaelic football and camogie where she represented both her school and parish teams at the same time. “In fact, on August 8 1998 – just one week before the Omagh bomb – Jolene was a key player in the winning team for St Macartan’s, who won their first-ever county final.

“Jolene’s future was so bright, with her desire to become a sports physiotherapist. “She had a zest for life and to do well. She was always able to conquer as many challenges as she could.”. Jolene was the eldest of her sister and three brothers. Before her death, she had just begun driving lessons, was a “very popular member of staff” in her summer job, and an “exemplary student”. Her mother’s statement said: “I can remember feeling so emotional on the evening of her leaving mass, I couldn’t help but think our eldest child was now ready to start the next chapter in her education and life, only now she would be doing it in Belfast.

“We always secretly dreaded the thought of Jolene being in Belfast in case the Troubles would flare up. “Little did we know then that our home town of Omagh, where Jolene had attended school, had a part-time job, was learning to drive, socialised and shopped, would be the actual place where she would be denied all of her hopes and dreams, of her bright future. “Jolene was a loving daughter, a caring sister to her four siblings, a role model for her schools, a great team player for her sports teams, a responsible employee, a special friend to her then boyfriend of 10 months, a much-loved granddaughter, niece, cousin and a friend to all who knew her.

“Whilst Jolene achieved so much in her short life, she was denied the chance to accomplish her life’s full potential.”. Inquiry chairman Lord Turnbull said the statement sets out the “heartbreak of another mother” whose first-born child was killed in the bombing. “Jolene was a 17-year-old on the cusp of a whole new and exciting life, who had so much ahead of her. “It seems clear from her academic and sporting achievements and from the good impressions she had made in her summer job that Jolene would have found success and would have achieved her ambition for a rewarding career as a sports physiotherapist.