ENNISKILLEN twins, Eimear and Eilish McAuley have described the emotional scenes they witnessed in the city of Barcelona two days after the terror attack that claimed the lives 14 people last week.
Eimear and Eilish (32) from Tamlaght, were spending their first holiday together in the town of Tossa de Mar, not far from Barcelona when a van attacked pedestrians at Las Ramblas, a popular boulevard in the heart of the city.
Concerned for their safety but determined to make a stand against terrorism and support the people of Barcelona, they visited the scene of the massacre on Saturday and left a personal message on the pavement “on behalf of the people of Enniskillen”.
Fourteen civilians were killed and many more wounded last Thursday before a second attack in the early hours of Friday at the seaside of resort of Cambrils wounded seven more people, with one woman later dying from her injuries.
Dublin litigation lawyer, Gareth Noble, originally from Enniskillen, was staying in a resort on the outskirts of Cambrils with his wife and six-year-old son when the second attack unfolded.
Speaking to the Impartial Reporter on Tuesday as he prepared to return home on Wednesday Gareth said he and his family were feeling very “very fortunate”.
“The security here has certainly intensified. This is a very family orientated place. We went into town on the Thursday night for dinner and we left a couple of hours before the attack.
“While having our dinner the TV screens in the restaurants were showing the rolling news of what was happening in Barcelona, but there was no sense of the imminent danger that was coming our way. We decided to head back to the resort early so we could get our son to bed.”
Gareth’s first indication of what had happened close to the resort was on Friday morning when messages from home started flooding through asking if they were all okay.
“We honestly feel very fortunate,” he said, “We really could have been in the wrong place and the wrong time, but we weren’t.”
The McAuley sisters had spent last Tuesday in Barcelona and had planned to make a return trip there on Saturday.
They too, had been unaware of the horrific events that had unfolded in the city until a family member made contact with them on Thursday evening to make sure they were safe.
“We couldn’t believe it. It was just so surreal,” said Eimear.
“We had lots of messages on Facebook from friends and family asking if we were okay as well. I don’t think the reality of what happened last week sunk in until we got home on Sunday and watched the news and saw for ourselves.”
The siblings’ day trip to Barcelona on Tuesday had been calm and peaceful, filled with visiting all the major sites.
Their return visit on Saturday was one of complete contrast.
“We were worried about the prospect of returning on the Saturday, and when we heard about the second attack on a beach resort on the Friday, we were even more concerned,” said Eimear, “But we felt compelled to go back and pay our respects. Coming from Northern Ireland, having experienced the Troubles, we felt the need to go back to Las Ramblas and not let terrorism win.
According to Eimear the scenes at Las Ramblas on Saturday evening were “emotional and spiritual”.
“People were singing together, saying prayers, lighting candles and leaving messages,” said Eimear, “Myself and Eilish said our own prayers, lit a candle and took a piece of chalk to write a message of our own, from ourselves and on behalf of Enniskillen, with a heart and a shamrock.
“There was almost a calm in the air, people were united, they were coming together. There were so many people from all over the world there, and we all stood there together, in the aftermath of this attack.”
On Monday Gareth and his family left their resort for the first time since the Cambrils attack. “We were sitting at a restaurant when we heard an ambulance and a police car going by,” he said, “I’m sure it was just a routine thing but hearing the sirens, all of us immediately felt nervous. I suppose that is inevitable after what has happened here.”
The father of one has commended the swift police response to both attacks.
“You can’t live your life worrying what is around the corner,” he said, “I think the general feeling among people here is that you just can’t allow it to put you off.”
The McAuley sisters are also determined that the events of last week will not put them off making a return visit to Barcelona next summer.
“It is such a beautiful city,” says Eimear, “The Spanish people made us feel us welcome and so at home. We would love to back again.”