The father of a young man killed in the 1998 Omagh bombing has received international recognition for his work campaigning for victims of terrorism.
Michael Gallagher, who lost his 21-year-old son Aiden in the Real IRA attack, was last night presented with the prestigious Memory, Dignity and Justice Award at the International Centre for Victims of Terrorism in Madrid.
The outspoken activist has been at the forefront of the Omagh families' long quest to catch those behind the devastating car bomb attack in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998.
The explosion killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, and injured hundreds of others.
Among guests at the presentation ceremony in the Spanish capital was Mr Gallagher's wife Patsy and Joseph Pfeifer, the New York fire chief who led the rescue operation in the wake of the 11 September attacks in 2001.
Ahead of the event at the city's San Pablo CEU university, Mr Gallagher, who was the unanimous choice of the university's board of trustees, said the award was recognition of all the families' efforts.
'This is a great honour not just for myself but for all those families who have had the courage to stand up and demand justice over many difficult years,' he said.
'We thank Spain for its support and encouragement.'
Earlier this year relatives won a landmark multi-million euro civil action against four men they accused of carrying out the bombing.
The families also continue to press the UK and Irish governments to hold an independent public inquiry amid claims the security forces had information that could have prevented the attack.
