Ten bell tolls for ten names: Creeslough remembers victims of tragedy
People pay their repects at a mass at the memorial on honour of those that died in the 2022 Creeslough Explosion. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
A bell tolled 10 times on Saturday for the 10 victims of the Creeslough explosion.
As a 1,500-strong crowd gathered in silence at the scene of the tragedy that occurred at the Applegreen filling station in the Donegal village one year ago, each one of the names was read out.
They included 24-year-old Jessica Gallagher, Martina Martin — the 49-year-old mother-of-four who had been working at the nearby shop at the filling station — and Leona Harper, the 14-year-old who was choosing an ice-cream with a friend she was due to have a sleepover with.
Five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe had gone to the shop with her 50-year-old father Robert to buy a cake for her mother’s birthday.
Hugh Kelly, who had driven the pair to the filling station, was also among those who died in the blast.
Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan were in the post office when they were struck by the blast.
The 36-year-old was there to collect her mother’s pension while 49-year-old Martin McGill, who was his mother's sole carer, was on one of his usual daily trips to the shop for messages.
James O’Flaherty died as he was leaving the filling station shop and heading back to his car, where his son Hamish — who survived — was waiting for him.
After their names were read out, a bell was tolled for each one.
All that could be heard above the heads of those there was the repeated single toll of the bell, its sound mixed with the gusting wind, carrying it around the site.
Earlier, Fr John Joe Duffy said: “The crisis of tragedy one year ago today, this day, last year will be forever etched into our memories with all its pain and devastation.
“The memories of those who died will be forever held in our hearts.
“We will always hold them.” The families who attended included Leona Harper’s parents Donna and Hugh.
Among those attending were various TDs and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue. The service was held at the boarded-up scene of the explosion.
A new glass display case with ten candles has been positioned at the front of the 22ft grey hoarding that has been erected around the site.
A private mass will be held on Saturday night for families, friends and neighbours of those who died at the village’s St Michael’s Church.
The Garda investigation into the explosion is still ongoing.
Gardaí said the investigation is “extensive”, pointing out that they have so far looked into more than 1,350 lines of enquiry and taken more than 900 statements.
“An Garda Síochána continues to work diligently and as expeditiously as possible, in the circumstances, to ensure that all the circumstances of this fatal explosion are professionally investigated,” a spokesperson said.
The Health and Safety Authority, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and the specialist investigative firm Det Norske Veritas are still assisting a wide range of garda units in the investigation.
