Dunblane

I remember this so well, having a 6 yr old of my own at the time. I didn't see the programme, and don't want to watch it as I'm an emotional old thing. My cousin's son posted this photo from Dunblane Cathedral. It's a lovely memorial.

I was in the classroom teaching my P1's! The headteacher came in, quite shaken, to watch the ongoing coverage in the small tv room adjoining my room. She informed me of what had happened, ensuring, of course, that the children didn't overhear. Sitting there surrounded by my five year olds, was very much a 'there but for the grace of God' moment!

I didn't see the programme itself but was in tears watching them talk about it on Gogglebox. Some of the younger people on Gogglebox hadn't heard of what happened in Dunblane and were visibly moved by what they saw.

This was a very thoughtful programme which made me glad to be British. I'm so glad that within 2 years parliament changed the laws on hand guns. When americansrefuse to change their gun laws I feel very sad. It was excellent that there was minimal mention of the killer. Also the respect for the 25 year old who did not wish to take part.

Dunblane is one of those defining moments. I was glad to have a chance to review how I understood it and to see how people had gone on and lived their lives despite it.

One of DH's shooting friends heard the news as he was driving home. He said he had to pull over and stop because, having been in the army and seen action, he knew what would have happened to the children.

I know someone whose daughter was a teacher in the school . Can you believe she got hate mail in the aftermath . It beggars belief .

My former husband was a vicar at that time. He opened the church the next day and we put a sign up at the local shops to say it was open. Several of us took turns to sit in church. I picked snowdrops from our garden and took my son's teddy bear and placed them on the altar.

I am glad the church was open - a long way away from Dunblane, on the N. Kent coast, but people came and prayed and wept.

I couldn't watch it as I will never forget that day - I remember going to my children's school the same as a lot of parents and being allowed to bring my children home. We spent a long time cuddling each other. All the doors were locked during the day after that and it was almost like the end of innocence.

I had never understood why there was such a huge reaction to a mass killing (whether by accident or intentionally) as surely every single premature death was just as big a tragedy for those affected - until that day.

I was with a group of colleagues in Stirling Highland Hotel (belatedly) celebrating International Women's Day and popped out to reception to confirm that we would be ready for lunch shortly. The receptionists looked ashen. They had just heard on the radio that there had been a shooting in Dunblane Primary School. As you do, I ran a quick check in my brain and decided, with relief, that, personally, I knew no one connected with the school. Returned to tell my colleaugues the news and then was hit with a thunderbolt - one was a Mum with a child in the school, our guest speaker (from Edinburgh) had a niece in the school and another was actually that day's SW duty officer. So no lunch that day as we all rushed off to check on friends/clients/relatives/work colleagues who might be involved.

The next days/weeks/months had an air of unreality as ripples spread and more connections came to light. Everyone I knew, from miles around, was affected in someway. Not only relatives and friends but the police, teachers and Education Department, Councillors and people you would not think of - the local press, clergy, undertakers, posties and florists. The thing that struck me most, demonstrating the impact on the wider community was that the following day when I tried to get a sympathy card in Stirling (for one of my husband's customers whose daughter had been killed) and a 'get well' card (for a friend's Grandaughter who was badly injured) there was not a single card or flower to be had anywhere. I volunteered to go to Alloa (15 miles away from Dunblane) to get cards and flowers for various colleagues to send but discovered there were no suitable cards or flowers left in Alloa either. The only flowers out in the garden were snowdrops so I took them into work next day and on every anniversary thereafter.

We heard the news at lunch time at th e school I taught in. Our lunch time supervisors always brought in breaking news as they arrived at school, Dunblane, 911,77. I remember the shock. Not only did it change the gun laws, it also brought in schools with much increased security.

If only the US shootings affected their laws.

I'd taken my P7s for PE to the hall at the same time and came home to hear the news.. our school security was made 100% better after it happened, but to late for Dunblane.

If we can make it as hard as possible for pathetic nutter loners to get guns in the first place the laws have worked. Unfortunately they didn't at the time of the Dunblane atrocity. They've been tightened up now thank God.

Nothing wrong with our gun laws. You are never going to avoid the pathetic nutty loner. Well, at least schools are, at last, hotter on security.

Watched it and wept, again. So glad that the evil person who carried out these killings was barely mentioned.

Didn't see the programme, but agree with Lynnie1. A quotation from Santyana carved in marble at the exit to Dachau concentration camp quotes "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" So very very true, and if remembering Dunblane keeps our gun laws in the status quo then bring it on.

Imperfect27 my heart goes out to you, and anyone else who has lost a child or grandchild. I watched the programme to hear the stories; of the survivors, bereaved and all the others caught up in this awful tragedy.
I thought the headteacher an amazing and inspiring man, he could never have dreamed of ever having to deal with such an atrocity and he did so with such dignity - and in front of the world's media.
Andy Murray was a pupil in the school at the time, which I think is one of the reasons he feels such a connection with his home town.

I think it is so important to remember, we should never forget these events. I can remember exactly what I was doing when I heard about Dunblane. I was in a shop with a childminded child in a pushchair, and it came over the shop radio. I used a four letter word in a phrase out loud and had to apologise to a lady standing nearby. I never swore in front of children usually. It was such a gut response of total horror.

I also remember Aberfan, very, very vividly, as I was a schoolgirl in South Wales and the same age as some of the children who died. The National Coal Board behaved appallingly. Of course they knew about the spring above Pantglas School.

I think I shared my family memories of Aberfan here previously, so won't repeat them. Perhaps in October. We should all remember then.

I didn't see the programme, but Dunblane marked me in its own way . In the Eighties I learned to shoot target rifles and loved the hobby, hoping to take it up again one day. The desire totally left me after Dunblane.
One of the reasons I love the tennis playing Murray brothers is that theirs is a positive connection with Dunblane. We had a holiday near there when my children were small, lovely part of the world. Hence my swearing, I guess.

It made me think of wee Andy Murray hiding under the headteacher's desk and all the criticism he has to take now for not smiling enough. They love him in Dunblane.

I watched it too - I think it is important to remember and reflect on these events. Like numberplease I really felt for the Headmaster, feeling guilt over something for which he was in no way responsible. My DD who was 11 at the time, remembers their teacher sitting them all down in the afternoon and explaining what had happened - she recalls their disbelief and sadness - and fear that the same could happen to them.

So true. If a person you love dies because of illness, an accident or even suicide, I guess you finally learn to accept it and carry on. If a person's life is taken away by someone else, however, as in murder, I'm not sure you can ever come to terms with it.

When the shooting happened, my DS2 was the same age as those children. I remember crying as I carried him up to bed and tucked him in that night. We take so much for granted when our children are happy and well.

The poor mother, whose child was injured, but died without her in hospital - presumably because they weren't able to identify who was who - I understand how that will mark her for the rest of her life. I wasn't with my daughter when she died and wasn't able to see her ever again as she was so badly injured in a car accident. These things get in the way of grieving.

We are a society that is very uncomfortable with grief. I do not think it is maudlin or wallowing to have programmes like this. I am aware of my own 'fascination' for how others grieve, partly because there are few opportunities to explore my own feelings and so it is helpful to hear of others stories and to reflect on their journeys in relation to my own.

I am really fortunate - I have found a happy life again - and so have my other children. We will always carry what as happened in the fabric of us, but it hasn't defined us in negative ways. But it must be so very much harder if you lose someone because of an act of violence.

I was going to watch it, but then decided against it, as I knew it would upset me, and that I'd keep going over it in my head. That sounds a bit pathetic, perhaps.
Having small grandchildren or great-grandchildren makes it hit even harder, doesn't it? We identify with the horror of that terrible day.
As with Aberfan, we probably all remember what we were doing when we heard the first news reports.

I watched the programme with trepidation, hoping it would not be sensationalist - which it wasn't - and trying to discern why it was made.

I felt it aimed to mark a significant historic event - which also led to gun law change in our country - in a respectful way and gave a voice to those involved. As a bereaved parent myself, approaching the tenth anniversary of loss this year, I am increasingly aware of the poignancy of significant year markers and 20 years on, I hope that in the making of this programme, the bereaved families that took part will have found it a helpful process.

I felt the university lecturer, who had lost his wife to breast cancer, before losing his only child in the shooting, was particularly inspiring.
Yes, a very sad programme, but he is an example of someone who has come through tragedy with a really positive attitude and I loved the fact that he said "I still want to offer things to life and see what it has to offer me" - not a word for word quote, but my sentiments exactly!

I so admire that head teacher too.

I did not watch the programme as I did not feel up to all that sadness. What a terrible time it was for the whole village; and how very sad.

I remember our school sending books to Aberfan. I suppose it was to re equip the new school.
I also remember a vague feeling of surprise at the feel of tears rolling down my cheeks as I read the newspaper reports of Dunblane. We learned from it and amended laws accordingly. How miserable and frustrated the parents of all the children killed in all those similar school massacres (not too strong a word) in America must feel. Obama certainly is very distressed about it but can't seem to get those rednecks to understand.