We didn't know each other from before and we were very different people, but we supported each other as colleagues." He had a strong Irish identity, and I was brought up in a mixed marriage with a shared identity. When we were young, he played gaelic, I was in the air cadets. "I have worn them at every pride event I have ever walked in in uniform."ĭescribing his friendship with Ronan, Mr Bloomer continued: "We were different people he was from the country, I was from the city. "When Ronan was killed, I promised myself I would keep those boots forever, and only use them for special occasions," he said. Mr Bloomer shared a story about how he swapped boots with Ronan during training to qualify as a PSNI officer, and was wearing them for Saturday's parade. No-one has yet been convicted of the murder, though one person has been jailed for offences connected to the investigation. Hundreds gathered in the Co Tyrone town to mark the historic event, which also saw speakers from LGBTQ rights groups take to a stage after the parade to address the crowd.Īlongside the speakers was PSNI officer Paul Bloomer, who told those gathered about his friendship with Ronan Kerr, who was murdered aged 25 in 2011 when a bomb exploded under his car as he left his Omagh home.
OMAGH'S first Pride parade saw murdered PSNI officer Ronan Kerr remembered by a colleague who paid tribute to his friend in a touching speech.