Politics and pop rubbed shoulders last night as the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, lent her backing to an album dedicated to rebuilding the community of Omagh.
Dr Mowlam joined Omagh community leaders at the London launch of the fund-raising album, Across the Bridge of Hope, which features U2, the Corrs and Boyzone.
The town was damaged by an explosion last August which left 29 dead and became the worst single terrorist atrocity in 30 years of the Troubles in the North.
The album is to be released on Monday and features actor Liam Neeson reading a short poem by Shaun McLaughlin (12), who was one of the victims. It is the last line of his poem that has given the album its name.
The Northern Secretary, who was with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at the talks in Belfast earlier in the day, spoke of her revulsion when she heard about the bombing.
"I don't think I will ever forget the sickness that slowly grew in my stomach as that Saturday afternoon progressed and it became clear the extent of the pain, the mayhem, the murder that had taken place. And I don't think the shock of that will ever go."
She paid tribute to the spirit of the community in the aftermath of the tragedy.
"The determination and the guts of the people of Omagh not to let a few men of violence ruin their town or their lives were amazing. They showed the determination to keep going that I will never forget."