Now a decade later, an exhibition will mark the public outpouring of support for the town after the horrific event - and it is the brainchild of a Portrush artist.

The acclaimed Petals of Hope Exhibition will be hosted in Omagh for two weeks during August in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the bomb.

Portrush artist Carole Kane explained: "When the bomb happened there was a huge response from the public who came to leave flowers.

"I had been doing hand-made paper workshops at Flowerfield in Portstewart at the time and had the idea of perhaps doing a workshop with the locals in the town with a view to maybe putting a piece of artwork in a doctor's waiting room or a public space.

"I approached Omagh District Council and asked them about it. After Clinton's visit, I was approached by the Council and asked to over see the project."

The idea was developed to organise a series of workshops involving local people to make pieces of handmade paper incorporating the flowers.

The outcome of this process resulted in over 30 individual framed pieces of handmade art which were exhibited in Omagh, Buncrana, Dublin and Belfast.

Each bereaved family was then presented with a piece of art work symbolising, through the flowers, the thoughts, prayers, love and friendship which emerged worldwide as a result of the atrocity.

"After the touring exhibition, I was approached by the then Chief Executive of the Council, John McKinney, who asked me to write my story which was incorporated into a catalogue of photographs of the work called Petals of Hope.

"Now larger versions of those photographs are going on display to mark the tenth anniversary of the bomb."

Carole studied a Foundation Course in Art and Design at Newcastle College, Newcastle-upon Tyne and graduated with an Honours Degree in Constructed Textiles from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, at University of Dundee.

She then completed a Postgraduate Certificate from the University of Ulster.

She has been involved in lecturing at various levels in Further and Higher Education, together with developing a range of Community Art based projects.

She is presently working as a Development Officer within the Creative Learning Team of the WEA (Workers' Educational Association).

"On reflection, as an artist, Petals of Hope was an unbelievable experience when I look back at it. Not at all easy but unbelievable," she said.

"It was an opportunity for us to do something creative out of such an atrocity.

"It gave us a clear identity of who we are and I'm not sure that we have had a chance to do that on a large scale and that is something now for creative people and for the MLAs to take on.

"I had that opportunity and be involved in something that was community-lead and community-delivered and helped people."