Summerland witness Tina Brennen addresses a crowd at a 51st anniversary memorial event

Transcript

00:00and then they themselves ultimately lost their own lives.

00:05Do schools teach our children who those heroes were?

00:10Surely the Somerland story is part of their life's history and heritage.

00:16And surely they have much to be proud of in the way our island community came together

00:21and stepped up when there was no disaster emergency plan worthy of that name in place.

00:28As you look around here at this appalling sight,

00:33it's a reminder that this site, just like the fire itself, is an open wound.

00:40It's still a deep scar that will never heal.

00:44If our government has any conscience, there will be no purpose-use development here.

00:51No 15-minute village proposed by the Manx Development Corporation.

00:57Surely, and I believe this very strongly,

01:01there will be a memorial and a reflective space

01:05in some small way a measure of justice for people who perished and their families.

01:11Here tonight, we have so much to remember,

01:15but our hearts go out especially to the families and friends

01:18who mourn the loss of the 50 people who paid the ultimate price

01:23and perished here so needlessly on this site 51 years ago.

01:29We will continue to commemorate them here on this site.

01:33We will fight on for them and for all of us.

01:38We will never forget them.

01:43Now, Jackie Callum,

01:47we may remember many of you.

01:50She spoke out so bravely here last year.

01:53She will now lay down on flowers in remembrance.

01:57And if any of you have any...