The brave mother who tragically lost five members of her family in the Buncrana pier tragedy in Co Donegal on Sunday has spoken for the first time since the horrific and heartbreaking accident.
The courageous and grief stricken mum has said her little baby girl who was heroically saved from the tragedy will be her ‘reason to go on’. The distraught mothers brave words were revealed by Parish priest Father Paddy O’Kane from the Holy Family Church in Derry city who told reporters the tragedy is the worst he has seen in 43 years, and that the whole community is stil trying to come to terms with what has happened.
Fr O’Kane said told reporters that the heartbroken mother Louise McGrotty vowed she will go on for little girl Rionaghac-Ann, who survived the accident. Fr O’Kane went onto say: ‘Louise said to me, ‘I have lost everyone, except little Rionaghac-Ann’. She said ‘Rionaghac-Ann is my reason to go on’.’ Before he added: ‘Words fail me to describe the depth of pain and the vastness of this tragedy. ‘I am 43 years a priest and nothing compares to this. This is way beyond anything in my wildest imagination. This is the worst thing I have ever had.’
The heartbreaking accident comes just weeks after Louise and her family had celebrated eight-year-old Evan’s First Confession and they were preparing for his First Communion in May. It is understood the funerals of the five victims are expected to take place on Thursday.