One month on, Creeslough still weeps for its dead

A series of high profile people will featured at Novena Masses in memory of the ten Creeslough explosion victims.

Donegal country music star Daniel O’Donnell and Dana Rosemary Scallon, the former Eurovision Song Contest Winner, are among the artists who will perform at the services in St Mary’s Church, Creeslough.

It is a month now since a devastating explosion at the Applegreen complex claimed ten lives with eight more injured.

With a raft of months mind masses this week in memory of those killed, Creeslough remains reeling from its darkest hour.

Next Wednesday, November 16, a series of Novenas will begin. Daniel and Dana are two of the artists who will sing.

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Mickey Harte, a three-time All-Ireland winning Gaelic football manager, will speak at one of the masses. Harte’s daughter, Michaela McAreavey, was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius in 2011 and the Tyrone man is expected to speak about own experience and his own deep faith to the grief-stricken community.

“There is a numbness there and a shock,” Fr John Joe Duffy said. “The pain is there and it is just very difficult.

The N56 road at the scene remains closed to traffic with a High Court order to preserve the scene extended until the end of November.

Blast experts have been among the agencies working to determine the cause of the explosion and a chain of events that resulted in the explosion at 3.18pm on October 7.

Rubble from the site is under Garda watch at a secure location close-by and teams of experts continue to pour through the debris.

Over 500 lines of enquiry have been followed by Gardaí and almost 300 statements taken. That number will continue to rise.

A Garda Mobile Command Unit remains at scene where a large amount of CCTV is being reviewed.

The Garda National Technical Bureau (GNTB) Crime Scene Managers remain on scene assisting the investigation.

Although the image is one akin to a crime scene, investigators do not believe foul play was involved. Instead, they believe that a gas explosion was responsible and are attempting to piece together the precise cause.

Det Norske Veritas, a Norwegian company specialising in the investigation and testing of energy systems, are also on site.

An Garda Síochána say that a ‘careful and systematic approach is being taken’ due to the ‘structural instability’ of the building.

“Structural engineers are in attendance at the site to assist in this investigation and to ensure as safe a working environment as possible,” a spokesperson said.

Five-year-old Shauna Flanagan-Garwe and her father, Robert Garwe (50) lost their lives in he blast as did Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her 13-year-old son, James Monaghan.

Leona Harper, aged 14, and Jessica Gallagher (24) were killed along with shop assistant Martina Martin (49).

James O’Flaherty (48), Martin McGill (49) and Hugh Kelly (59) were the other victims of the horrific explosion.

This week, the months mind masses of some take place in the church in Creeslough, starting with that of Martina Martin on Monday evening.

The months mind of Catherine O’Donnell and James Monaghan is on Friday evening followed by Jessica Gallagher will be held on Saturday evening with Hugh Kelly’s mass on Sunday morning.