Hundreds gathered in Dromore for a memorial marking 50 years since Willie Herron, his wife Beth and daughter Noeline died in an IRA bomb attack. The family occupied their home above a drapery shop when the blast destroyed the building in April 1976.

The event included a parade from the Orange Hall to the town centre, a service of remembrance and wreath laying at the explosion site. Ronnie Murdock, Deputy District Master of the Orange Order, stated the Herrons formed the core of the local community and their deaths left a lasting impact. He added the community continues to feel their absence and their names will be remembered by future generations.

Herron family members attended with local political figures, including deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Willie and Beth's grandson Michael Bingham called the occasion vital for recalling the unexcusable terrorism that took his relatives.

Little-Pengelly described the family as well-loved in Dromore and the attack as a grave act of violence. Bingham referred to the event as a lasting painful recollection, though the family aims to honour their memory positively. He noted sharing Troubles-era stories of innocent victims with his sons and expressed hope for future peace.

A man and two teenage sisters received jail terms for the murders in 1981. The women gained release in 1985 through Royal Prerogatives of Mercy. The Northern Ireland Office explained this mechanism served compassionate purposes or to secure cooperation against other offenders prior to the 1997 Criminal Cases Review Commission.

A church service is scheduled in Dromore on Sunday.