At precisely 3:17pm, this afternoon, the moment of the tragedy that affected a great number of people in the northwest, the bells of St. Michael’s Church in Creeslough tolled in mournful remembrance of the 10 individuals who lost their lives two years ago.
On October 7, 2022, four men, three women and three children, ages five to 59, were killed in an explosion at a petrol station in the town of Co Donegal.
The 10 individuals who passed away were Hugh ‘Hughie’ Kelly, 59, Robert Garwe, 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine O’Donnell, 39, and her son James Monaghan, 13; Jessica Gallagher, 24; Martin McGill, 49; James O’Flaherty, 48; Martina Martin, 49; Hugh Garwe, 50).
Father John Joe Duffy, the parish priest of Creeslough, has extended an invitation to everyone to join them in remembering and praying for the families affected by the tragedy and those who have lost loved ones.
Fr Duffy said: “Your unity with us can be done from your own homes on Monday at 3.17pm, by joining with us in silent prayer for those who tragically died, for their loved ones, for their families and for their friends and our wider communities. I also ask you to keep in prayer those who were injured in the Creeslough tragedy, those affected by it in anyway, for those who lost their homes,” reports RTE.
“The journey of healing will continue and we remain strong for one another. Families will be remembering their departed loved ones in their own personal, private and family ways as they have been doing every day since the tragedy of two years ago. Our entire parish community will be remembering Shauna, James, Leona, Jessica, Catherine, James, Martina, Martin, Robert and Hughie, throughout this weekend as we do every day,” Fr Duffy added, reports RTE.
As a show of respect, the Creeslough Community Hub closed at 3 p.m. today and reopened at 3.30 p.m.
St. Michael’s Church will host a prayer service later this evening in memory of the victims of the tragedy.
Last Saturday evening, Fr Duffy gave mass in memory of the 10 people who lost their lives.
Almost two weeks ago, Phoenix Law, which advocates for the majority of the families wrote to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee formally asking a public inquiry as a meeting with the relatives.
In a statement, Minister McEntee said: “We have to set a date, but I’m very conscious that it is two years, very conscious that there is still a Garda investigation under way, so its really important that that can be allowed to continue and to be completed. A file will be sent to the DPP. My understanding is in the very near future,” reports RTE.
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