Remembrance Ceremony For The Creeslough Tragedy: Silent Prayers For Second Anniversary

Remembrance ceremony for the Creeslough tragedy

The remembrance ceremony for the Creeslough tragedy took place today in St Michael’s Church. The ceremony marked the second anniversary of the Creeslough tragedy; an explosion that took place two years ago on the same day.

Ten people lost their lives in the Creeslough explosion that occurred at a filling station in County Donegal on 7 October 2022. Four men, three women and three children were included in the dead. Their age ranged from five to 59 years.  

Background of the Creeslough Tragedy

Creeslough is a small village, with a population of only 400 people, located in the northwest on Irish island. It is 24 km from Letterkenny and 48 km from the official border of Northern Ireland. 

The Creeslough tragedy was one of the biggest tragedies that ever took place in a small village like this. It caused the highest number of civilian casualties ever recorded in a single incident for decades. 

Based on a Garda investigation, no clear cause of the explosion at the Applegreen complex in Creeslough has been disclosed to date. A gas leak is still the suspect of the tragedy. Four people were also arrested that might have been connected with the explosion but were released soon afterwards. 

At present, Garda stated that the incident does not appear to be a deliberate one. However, Darragh Mackin, a solicitor from Phoenix Law, a Belfast-based legal firm, was of the view that the Garda investigation team did not produce a public report about the incident and did not disclose the details to the families for which the families had all the right. 

Mr Mackin said, “It is clear on any reading that there are wider issues of preventability relating to the Creeslough explosion which will inevitably fall, outside the garda investigation”. 

Hence, a formal request was submitted by Mr Mackin on behalf of the grieving families for an investigation to be held as a public inquiry. He said that this would give the families a surety that an investigation is on the run to reveal the truth without any waste of further time.

Mr Mackin also appealed to Helen McEntee for a meeting with the families so that his clients could be satisfied with the presence of an independent human-rights probe in detail at their earliest convenience.   

People Who Died in the Tragedy

The ten people who died in the tragedy were

  • Robert Garwe (50) 
  • His daughter, Shauna Flanagan-Garwe (5) 
  • Catherine O’Donnell (39) 
  • Her son, James Monaghan (13)
  • Jessica Gallagher (24)
  • Martin McGill (49)
  • James O’Flaherty (48)
  • Martina Martin (49)
  • Hugh ‘Hughie’ Kelly (59) 
  • Leona Harper (14)
 
 
 
 
 
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Views of the Father of St Michael’s Church 

The parish priest of St Michael’s Church, Father John Joe Duffy, invited everyone to join the remembrance ceremony for the Creeslough tragedy and pray for those who have passed away. 

Father Duffy said, “Your unity with us can be done from your own homes on Monday at 3:17 pm, by joining us in silent prayer for those who tragically died, for their loved ones, for their families and for their friends and our wider communities”. 

He further requested to make prayers for those who were injured during the Creeslough explosion and anyone who was affected by the incident in any manner. He was concerned about those whose homes were destroyed after the loss of those whom they loved dearly. He asked everyone to make prayers at the second anniversary. 

He ensured that this “journey of healing will continue” and asked everyone to remain strong, even after two years have passed.

He expressed his grief to the families of those who have left the world. They grieve every day by remembering them and the little moments that they had spent together as a family. Now they have parted ways, he stated, but the families have been reminiscing about them every day for the past two years.  

Also, the priest took the names of all the ten people who were killed in the Creeslough tragedy and confirmed that the entire parish community would remember them together today. 

Details of the Remembrance Ceremony for the Creeslough Tragedy

The gates of St Michael’s Church closed at 3 pm to mark the commencement of the second anniversary of the Creeslough incident. The gates re-opened at 3:30 pm.

The bell of the church rang ten times at 3:17 pm, the exact time the explosion turned into a tragedy.  

Later in the evening, a prayer service took place at the same church for which the father explained that physical presence was not required. He told that people could show unity wherever they are, they could stand to remember those who are no more in this world. 

Public Inquiry for Creeslough Tragedy

Two weeks ago, Phoenix Law, an international and public law protection firm, wrote to the Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee as a request for a public inquiry into the Creeslough tragedy. A meeting with the families of the Creeslough victims is also expected.  

The spokesperson from the Department of Justice affirmed that Minister McEntee would meet the families of the victims in the coming weeks and would discuss the proceedings. 

The response came after Helen McEntee said that she was waiting for a letter from solicitor Darragh Mackin which would be on behalf of the families of the ten victims. The letter would help in analysing the scenario and taking further action about the public inquiry and its pertinent proceedings. 

The spokesperson elucidated that the families of the Creeslough victims should get answers about the lives of their loved ones, which has now become a national tragedy. A close collaboration of Garda, HSA (Health and Safety Authority) and CRU (Commission of Regulation of Utilities) is the dire need of time that would help in extracting the answers as soon as possible, the spokesperson added.

Previously, Taoiseach Simon Harris also admitted that a public inquiry should be launched and there is no reason left for the families to seek answers and information about the lives of their dear ones.  

He validated that some investigations are currently underway and have not produced results yet. They have taken much longer than expected for which the families deserve a hearing on the issue.

He guaranteed that they were always here to hear the pleas of the victims’ families and the government would make sure to consider their requests as early as possible. 

Emotional and Psychological Significance

When a Sunday vigil was arranged soon after the tragedy in 2022, Declan Meechan, the vigil organiser, said,

“This county is used to its share of tragedy. But nothing of this scale. And I think that we as a larger community across Donegal cannot really comprehend what the long-term ramifications are going to be at this point”. 

By this, it meant that emotional psychological destruction also had a great impact on the lives of those who were left behind. The families of the victims, even their children who were studying at school had to go through the grief at a deeper level which was hard to comprehend. 

The Irish education minister, Norma Foley, said that the children who belong to such families would be given full support with the assistance of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). The announcement was made after the Creeslough tragedy so that the students who have been through a critical incident like this should not suffer from short-term or long-term consequences, both emotionally and psychologically. 

The intensity of matters was corroborated by the fact that HSE declared more use of therapeutic services now being taken by people of Creeslough after the tragedy. Greater utilisation of counselling services was observed in Creeslough as the need for community reinstatement was extremely high in 2022.  

It included a WHO-recommended response for the counselling service that was launched on 8 October onwards in 2022. Also, the services were available via telephonic sessions that were part of the comprehensive response program called Psychological First Aid Support Service. The psycho-social support response had to be multifaceted as people of different ages were in need of emotional as well as psychological help. 

Moreover, the Irish Health Service confirmed that the counselling services were accessed more than 200 times by the affected people even four weeks after the Creeslough catastrophe. 

Several pieces of research have also shown that memorial practices help the victims’ families accept their emotional needs and overcome suffering when they know they have the support of the entire community. The remembrance and acknowledgement of those who have left give the victims’ families a closure that healing is possible with continuing bonds who are there with them to share the sorrows. 

Finding the meaning of support in grieving times with the presence of community members helps the victims’ families to experience more positive emotions, journal research indicated. Otherwise, various psychological factors prove to be a buffer for overcoming emotional distress whereas commemoration gatherings offer cognitive, psychological and social benefits. 

Still, after two years, the grief has not diminished and the people of Creeslough continue to carry out a remembrance ceremony for the Creeslough tragedy

Conclusion

Grief does remain part of the families of Creeslough tragedy victims but the remembrance gathering helped them celebrate the love of their lost ones and cope with sadness when close connections would share the same feelings. The self-compassion and deep connections are revived with commemorative anniversaries like these, for which the second anniversary took place in St Michael’s Church. 

FAQs

1. What is the Creeslough tragedy?

The Creeslough tragedy was an explosion that occurred at a filling station in Creeslough, County Donegal, on October 7, 2022, resulting in the deaths of ten people. It was one of the biggest civilian tragedies in the area in decades.

2. How many people lost their lives in the Creeslough explosion?

Ten people, including four men, three women, and three children, tragically lost their lives. Their ages ranged from five to 59 years.

3. Where and when is the remembrance ceremony taking place?

The remembrance ceremony was held at St Michael’s Church in Creeslough on October 7, 2024, marking the second anniversary of the tragedy.

4. What time will the ceremony begin?

The gates of St Michael’s Church will close at 3:00 p.m., and the ceremony will officially commence at 3:17 p.m., the exact time when the explosion occurred.

5. What will happen during the ceremony?

The church bells will ring ten times at 3:17 p.m. in honour of the ten people who died. A prayer service will also be held, and participants can join in silent prayer, either in person or remotely.

6. What is the current status of the public inquiry request?

The Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee, is expected to meet with the families of the victims to discuss the request for a public inquiry. The government has expressed its commitment to addressing the families’ concerns.

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