Hush descends as Donegal GAA remembers Creeslough victims before SFC final

A hush fell over Ballybofey when Donegal SFC final referee Mark Dorian blew his whistle at 14 minutes past two.

Players from St Eunan’s were arm-in-arm in one half of Sean MacCumhaill Park with Naomh Conaill’s players likewise in the other.

There followed an impeccably observed minute’s silence in memory of the ten victims of the Creeslough tragedy, prior to a game that had been called off last Sunday following the tragedy on Friday afternoon.

The attendance stood and honoured the ten, whose names were read by stadium announcer Fergus McGee: Five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father, Robert Garwe (50); Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her son James Monaghan (13); Jessica Gallagher (24), Martin McGill (49), Hugh Kelly (59), Martina Martin (49) and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

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Mr McGee conveyed the ‘sincere and heartfelt sympathies’ on behalf of Donegal GAA to the families of the deceased and asked the attendance to pray for the injured.

“CLG Dún na nGall would like to acknowledge the immense work carried out by the local community in Creeslough,” he said.

“Difficult work was professionally and painstakingly carried out by the fires service from both sides of the border and by the ambulance service, the Civil Defence, An Garda Síochána, and various special services who attended the scene.

“We remember the clergy and also the tremendous work that was done and is being done by the local St Michaels club.”