President Higgins hails Creeslough’s community response

The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, spoke of his admiration for the people of Creeslough as he visited the grief-stricken town.

President Higgins cut short a trip to Strasbourg, where he addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Tuesday, to come to Donegal.

On Wednesday, he attended the funeral of James O’Flaherty in Derrybeg and the joint funeral of mother and son Catherine O’Donnell and James Monaghan in Creeslough.

The President will remain in Donegal and attend the remaining funerals of the Creeslough explosion victims.

Having been represented by Aide de Camp, Colonel Stephen Howard at Tuesday’s funerals of Jessica Gallagher and Martin McGill, the President confirmed that he intends to meet with their bereaved families.

Creeslough funerals hear of ’beautiful’ James and ‘bubbly’ mum Catherine

Catherine O'Donnell and her son James Monaghan

He will also meet with members of the emergency services and others who attended the scene of last Friday’s explosion which left ten dead.

“It was a community of first-line services each doing their very, very best and being able to engage with the public,” he said in a short media briefing in Creeslough.

“It was very important that the community rallied so quickly.

“I think it is very important what is being revealed now, in the response of the public, the response of the people of Creeslough and the great example they are giving.

“They have a very heavy burden of grief to carry.

“The way they are holding together is a great example. I think it is inspirational, the way people, not just in Donegal, but all over Ireland, have all been responding and being able to reveal their feelings and how their heart has been breaking.”

President Higgins spoke of a ‘collective grief’ being experienced in Creeslough and its neighbouring parishes.

He said: “People have moved through a great shock and a terrible accident that grew more devastating hour by hour.

“It is a privilege to share with communities who are going through so much.

“One of the things that is very striking is that when something like this happens, it isn’t affecting just a family because everybody is so connected to everybody. 

“The Church services can describe intimate details and whole communities and their surrounds are affected. It was very important to be here.”

While in Strasbourg, President Higgins received many notes of condolence from other heads of state around Europe.

He added: “Grief knows no borders.”