Irish Red Cross distributes €420,000 from Creslough support fund

The Irish Red Cross has distributed €420,000 from funds pledged for the Creeslough Community Support Fund.

The fund, in collaboration with An Post and Appleegren, was set up in the wake of the October 7 explosion that rocked the north Donegal village.

Ten people lost their lives in the horrific blast.

The Creeslough Community Support Fund collected €1.6 million via a national appeal, The Irish Red Cross confirmed.

Some €420,000 has been distributed, via the volunteers of the Irish Red Cross.

Survivors who lived in the apartments at the complex were left homeless as a result of the explosion.

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Bereaved families have been assisted to cover a wide variety of expenses including loss of income, household bills, travel and education costs.

Some monies have been used to support rental of new property, clothes, items for daily living, household bills and furnishings.

Those injured and their families have been aided with the fund helping to cover accommodation costs, loss of incomes, travel costs, medical costs not covered by the State, home assistance and minor home adaptations.

The organisation is also ensuring a staff and volunteer presence on the ground, providing psychological first aid and empathetic listening, they said.

“The Irish Red Cross have met the community twice at public meetings where they have received feedback and suggestions around uses for the fund,” a statement said.

Ongoing liaising with community organisations has been taking place and an oversight committee has been set up to oversee future management of the fund.

The Creeslough community have requested the ongoing presence of the Irish Red Cross in the village.

Over €500,000 was also raised via a GoFundMe page set up by Creeslough native Gerard McFadden, who lives in Australia.

Leona Harper, Robert Garwe and his daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, Jessica Gallagher, James O'Flaherty, Martina Martin, Hugh Kelly, Catherine O'Donnell with her son James Monaghan and Martin McGill all died in the explosion.

The N56 road was closed for over a month as teams of investigators – including a team of blast experts from aboard - poured through the rubble in an attempt to piece together the happenings of that fateful Friday.

An Garda Síochána confirmed in late October that over 500 lines of enquiry were actioned, with 260 statements taken.