Paul Greaney KC says the inquiry today will aim to summarise pen portrait evidence and some evidence of personal statements which will be heard over the coming weeks.

"We will aim to capture the central points that have been made," he says, adding that the evidence is "extraordinary" and "in truth overwhelming".

He then outlines what will not happen "in this chapter of the hearings".

"During the commemorative and personal statement hearings, we will not be looking at what went wrong in the lead up to the attack or on the day itself," he says.

"We will, during this phase, not be seeking to criticise anyone, save for those who carried out the atrocity."

Mr Greaney reads out the name of victims.

You can read more about the 29 victims here.

The first purpose of the inquiry is to find out if "what happened in Omagh could have been prevented by UK state authorities" says Paul Greaney KC.

"Today however, we start the commemorative and personal statement hearings" he adds.

These will take the form of "pen portraits" to "allow family members to lay out the impact of the death of their loved one".

The lawyer tells the inquiry the second purpose is to hear personal statements from those who are injured in or directly affected by the bombing.

He adds that all this evidence would be "central to the inquiry" and a "critical starting point in framing the inquiries investigation into whether the bombing could have been prevented".

He also says there will be a minute's silence to remember the victims.

Paul Greaney KC says some of the evidence to be referred to in the opening addresses will be "distressing to listen to".

"We will be referring to some of the evidence of loss and injury that will be received during the hearings," he says.

"We ask all who are currently listening to think about their own wellbeing when they decide whether to remain".

"We assure all who are present and those listening that we will give what is often known as a trigger warning before we move to that part of the address," he adds.

In his opening remarks, Paul Greaney KC, senior counsel to the inquiry starts by speaking about The Good Friday Agreement, and its overwhelming support across the island of Ireland.

However, he adds: "Some malevolent forces remained."

"A number of dissident republicans continued to be violently opposed to the peace process and they were prepared to use extreme and fatal violence in efforts disrupt that process".

"During the inquiry we will refer to these people as what they were - terrorists," he adds.

"What was done that day here in Omagh, was an act of savagery. That the attack occurred at a time when there was optimism for peace, and was done with a view to obstructing that peace, made it all the more wicked if that were possible," he adds.

Opportunities to hear and see first hand accounts will give "content and meaning to the bare facts and numbers", Lord Turnbull says.

"The evidence will give real insight into the devastating and lasting impact of terrible and random violence which otherwise might be incomprehensible to those who have no such experience in their lives," he continues.

"Those beyond Omagh who listen and watch will, as I was, be shocked at the level of grief imposed on ordinary, decent members of society doing nothing other than livng their daily lives."

Lord Turnbull says the sessions will inform and educate others as to the "real effect of terrorist violence," adding that he hopes all those who "supported or condoned such violence" will learn of the "indiscriminate and devastating consequence of such selfish conduct".

Inquiry chairman Rt Hon Lord Turnbull begins his opening remarks.

He says the inquiry has received statements and accounts in its call for evidence from many who have been affected by the bombing.

He expresses his gratitude to everyone who has provided information, adding that "for those concerned the process of engaging with the inquiry has been a distressing experience".

"Revisiting the thoughts and emotions of loss and injury has been very upsetting," he says.

The accounts will "underpin the importance of the inquiry", he says.

Most statements will be available to read on the inquiry website, along with oral testimony on the inquiry's YouTube.

"Those who watch and listen will be overwhelmed and humbled as I have been," he says.

The stream has now begun from the inquiry at Strule Arts Centre.

To watch it click the play button at the top of the page.

We will also bring you text updates here.

Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden died in the Real IRA attack, says the inquiry is very important and that he is "grateful that the victims are centre and front and a voice will be given to them".

"I think it's important the world knows the type of people we lost in Omagh that day," he tells Good Morning Ulster.

"Hearing those beautiful innocent people's lives, what they were like as people, what their dreams were.

"Even the fact there were two unborn children.

“I find it difficult to deal with that kind of pain...you just can't help but feel the pain of others."

Image source, Family

The first day of the hearing will remember two victims from Madrid, Spain.

Twelve-year-old Fernando Blasco Baselga was in Omagh for a visit to the Ulster American Folk Park.

Rocio Abad Ramos, 23, was also part of the same language exchange group which had been based in Buncrana in County Donegal.

You can read more about the 29 victims here.

Image source, PA Media

The Omagh bomb exploded in the town centre on a busy Saturday afternoon.

The streets were packed with shoppers, including families buying uniforms and other school supplies for the beginning of the new term.

The attack took place four months after the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The Real IRA (RIRA) - a dissident republican paramilitary group - disagreed with the decision of the much larger Provisional IRA to call a ceasefire ahead of the talks.

It set up its own faction and continued to plant car bombs in towns across Northern Ireland, some of which exploded causing multiple injuries.

But the Omagh bomb was by far the RIRA's most deadly attack.

Nine children, including a baby, were among the dead.

More than 200 other people were wounded, some of whom survived with life-changing injuries.

To read a detailed timeline of events, click here.

Welcome to our live page, where we will be following the first day of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

The hearing will commemorate the lives of the 29 people murdered in the County Tyrone bombing, including a woman expecting twins.

On Tuesday the two victims from Madrid in Spain will be remembered.

Hearings will be held up to four days a week and are expected to finish on 20 February.

The live stream is due to begin at 10am, so stay with us and we will bring you all the updates from the initial stage of the inquiry.