The first funerals of the victims of Friday’s explosion at a service station in Co Donegal will take place later today.
The ten people who died were Catherine O’Donnell, 39, and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; Robert Garwe, 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe; 14-year-old Leona Harper; Jessica Gallagher, 24; James O’Flaherty, 48; Martin McGill, 49; Martina Martin, 49, and 59-year-old Hugh Kelly.
They will be laid to rest in the days ahead.
Separate funeral masses for 24-year-old Jessica Gallagher, and 49-year-old Martin McGill, will be held at St Michael’s Church in Creeslough.
Ms Gallagher, a fashion designer who should have started her new job in Belfast yesterday, will be buried after 11am mass.
A young, talented, vivacious woman, her family said she lit up any room she entered. She was visiting her boyfriend’s apartment above the service station when the explosion happened.
At 2pm, Mr McGill’s family will attend the same church for his funeral.
A devoted son who cared for his elderly mother, he had gone into the garage to use the ATM machine when he was caught in the explosion.
President Michael D Higgins will be represented at today’s funerals by his aide-de-camp.
The president will return from Strasbourg tonight and travel to Donegal tomorrow where he will attend the remaining funerals and meet relatives of all those killed in the tragedy as well as with members of the emergency services.
Parish priest Fr John Joe Duffy has said the grief in this community is only bearable through the support of others
Speaking ahead of the first funeral mass this morning, Fr Duffy said he spent some time at the scene this morning praying alongside a local garda and said they prayed for those who died, those who were injured and those who attended the scene and were impacted.
He said all the bereaved families want to send a message of thanks to all of those who helped in the effort last Friday after the explosion happened.
“There are no words and I’m trying to find words this morning. I’m one of the locals here. I am one of the people, I’m just ordinary, I may wear this collar but I’m struggling to find words” he said.
“There will be difficult days ahead, there will be hard days ahead,” Fr Duffy said.
“All we can pray for is through the help of everyone that people will get through this, but I am worried for people,” he said.
Fr Duffy said messages of sympathy have been coming in from all around the world and this morning the Irish Defence Forces based in Lebanon held a mass for the community in Creeslough.
Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian said the community in Cresslough has been “extraordinary” under the circumstances.
“It’s a remarkable community, so small. 300 or 400 people where everyone will have a relation or at least a very close relation of one, at least and maybe in many cases more of those who have died in this this terrible tragedy.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, he said that after prayers on Saturday “there was a quiet and it was a deep quiet, people knowing that it was good for them to be gathered together in this awful moment. So, I thank God there’s been great depth as well as all of this sensitivity and respect”.
Bishop McGuckian said it is important for people to understand that “these are ordinary, poor people dealing with brokenness.
“We have to remember that just [to] be grateful that there is as much goodness and as much genuine community support as there is and not idealise it.”
Meanwhile, the Health and Wellbeing officer for St Michael’s GAA Club said the club is a big part of the community in Cresslough and a lot of young people play football for the team as well.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Elaine McDaid said club members have been helping out on the ground at the scene of the explosion, as well as providing practical supports to neighbours and friends and was open last night to provide a place where people could come to talk about what they are feeling.
“And whether they just wanted to be with somebody or whether they wanted to get some professional help, and there are members of the psycho-social team that have been put in place at Cresslough since Saturday, there to offer their support and their guidance and provide information to anybody that needed it.”
Ms McDaid said that what seems to be helping “is having people coming together, talking, listening, just being together, is one of the most helpful things that people can do right now.”
She said people are “struggling to find the words of how they’re feeling and to describe, even put it into words.
“And so, what’s helping people is coming together being with one another, whether that be in silence or whether that having a chat and it’s helping everybody from every age group up to the elderly.”
The Tánaiste has said the Cabinet will discuss how to help the people of Creeslough, whether it is people who have lost belongings or need financial help.
Speaking on his way into Government Buildings, Leo Varadkar said a large number of people will need psychological help in the time ahead and with the funerals beginning today, Cresslough “will very much in on our minds”.
Additional reporting Sinead Hussey, Dyane Connor
First funerals to take place after Donegal explosion
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