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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Michelle Cullen

Timeline of Creeslough tragedy - response, cause and funeral details as community comes to terms with devastating loss

Ireland was rocked by the Creeslough tragedy in Co. Donegal on Friday after an explosion at a service station left ten dead and eight injured.

The community of Creeslough has been left devastated by the loss as they now prepare for several victims' funerals this week.

With a population of around 400, Creeslough is a close-knit rural community and is regarded as a popular holiday destination, particularly for people from across the border in Northern Ireland.

READ MORE: Jet stream heading for Ireland to 'fire up storms' in Atlantic as some areas to see 'months worth of rain'

Here is everything we know so far on what has unfolded in Creeslough.

Friday, October 7

Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene of a complex in Creeslough, Co. Donegal, which contained a number of residential apartments and the Applegreen service station and convenience store, after an explosion was heard from miles around at about 3.20pm.

October 8 - Emergency services continue their work at the scene of the Applegreen service station explosion on October 8, 2022 in Creeslough (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Dozens of rescue workers arrived at the scene a short time later as an operation to locate survivors, and possible deceased got underway.

Tractors transported rubble away, and sniffer dogs were used to scour the rubble.

On Friday night, all machinery was turned off for a period, and all onlookers were asked to remain silent as rescue workers tried to detect survivors beneath the debris.

Gardai confirmed that three bodies had been recovered from the rubble on Friday night.

Saturday, October 8

A rescue operation continued into Saturday morning before gardai confirmed a further four deaths.

Another two fatalities were announced before midday, and one more at a press conference in the afternoon.

An aerial view of the Applegreen petrol station in Creeslough, Co Donegal (Joe Dunne)

Giving an update on the operation on Saturday afternoon, Garda press spokesman Liam Geraghty said: "The 10 casualties are four men, three women, two teenagers - a boy and girl, and a younger girl."

On Saturday evening, gardai said the search operation had ended.

Sunday, October 9

In an update on Sunday afternoon, a Garda spokesperson said: "An Garda Síochána continue to investigate all of the circumstances into the cause of a fatal explosion at a premises in Creeslough, County Donegal on Friday 7th October, 2022.

"The Garda Technical Bureau, with assistance from other agencies, will continue to examine the scene, which remains cordoned off. These examinations are likely to continue over the coming days. Traffic diversions on the N56 at the scene of the incident remain in place."

Gardai confirmed that one male in his 20s was still in critical condition in St. James Hospital, Dublin.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris visits the scene where a explosion occurred at a service station in Creeslough, Co Donegal (Mick O'Neill)

The seven other surviving casualties continue to receive treatment at Letterkenny University Hospital and remain in stable condition.

The ten people killed were named by gardai on Sunday as 48-year-old James O'Flaherty, 24-year-old Jessica Gallagher, 49-year-old Martin McGill, 39-year-old Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, 59-year-old Hugh Kelly, 49-year-old Martina Martin, 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

The first of the victims' funeral details were also announced on Sunday evening.

James O'Flaherty, 48

James O'Flaherty, from the Donegal town of Dunfanaghy and originally from Sydney, Australia, was removed on Monday to Roarty's Funeral Home in the town of Derrybeg.

James O'Flaherty, 48 years (Gardai)

His funeral notice says his remains will repose there from 1pm until 8pm, which will be followed by the rosary.

On Tuesday, his remains will repose from 12.30pm to 5.30pm, with removal afterwards to the family home in Dunfanaghy to repose overnight.

His Funeral Mass will be in St. Mary's Church, Derrybeg, on Wednesday at 11am, with internment afterwards in Magheragallon Cemetery.

James is survived by his wife Tracey and son Hamish, his brother John, sister-in-law Serena, and their children Amber and Ebony, and wider family.

Monday, October 10

Jessica Gallagher, 24

The funeral details for Jessica Gallagher were announced on Monday morning.

Jessica Gallagher, 24 years (gardai)

Hundreds of people have been leaving heartfelt messages for the family of the 24-year-old.

Jessica's funeral will take place on Tuesday, October 11 at 11:00 am at St. Michael's Church, Creeslough, "with interment afterwards in Doe Cemetery."

The family have asked for strict privacy at their home, where Jessica's body will repose ahead of her funeral.

Jessica, a fashion and marketing graduate, was due to begin a new job in Belfast on Monday.

Martin McGill, 49

The funeral details for Martin McGill were also confirmed on Monday.

Martin McGill, 49 years (Gardai)

Tributes have been pouring in online for the 'lovely' man with a 'gentle soul' as his family and friends come to terms with their tragic loss.

Martin's remains will be reposing at his mother's residence at 3 St. Michael's Terrace, Cresslough, from 11:00 am on Monday, October 10 - with family time requested from 10:00 pm to 11:00 am.

He will be laid to rest on Tuesday, October 11, at 2pm in St Michael's Church, Creeslough, with his burial afterwards in Doe Cemetery.

Catherine O'Donnell, 39, and James Monaghan, 13

A mother and her son, who tragically died in Friday's explosion in Creeslough, will be buried together on Wednesday.

Catherine O Donnell, 39 years and her son James Monaghan, 13 years (Gardai)

Catherine O'Donnell and her son James Monaghan were among those killed in the blast.

They will be laid to rest on Wednesday afternoon in Doe Cemetery following Funeral Mass at 2pm in St Michael's Church, Creeslough.

Catherine has just met James after he got off the school bus close to the Applegreen complex. They were in the post office queue when the explosion occurred.

Further details of the other victims' funerals have yet to be announced.

Martina Martin, 49, a shop worker described as a "ray of sunshine", five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert Garwe, 50, who were believed to have been buying a birthday cake for Shauna's mother at the time of the explosion, Hugh Kelly, 59 a popular construction worker and Leona Harper, a 14-year-old rugby player who died while picking an ice cream from the petrol station shop, before she planned to head to a sleepover with friends in Creeslough will be laid to rest in the coming days.

Undated handout photos issued by An Garda Siochana of (top row, left to right) Leona Harper, 14, Robert Garwe, 50, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, five, Jessica Gallagher, 24, and James O'Flaherty, 48, and (bottom row, left to right) Martina Martin, 49, Hugh Kelly, 59, Catherine O'Donnell, 39, her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, and Martin McGill, 49, the ten victims of explosion at Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday. Picture date: Sunday October 9, 2022. (PA Media)

Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty also confirmed on Monday evening that more technical details of the investigation will now commence as investigators try to determine the cause of the explosion.

He said: "The Garda investigation has now commenced following the completion of the search and rescue.

"The investigation will take a period of time and the Technical Bureau will be on the scene in the coming days as well as other agencies and other sections within An Garda Siochána. That investigation will take a period of time and the investigation is there to investigate the cause.

"There will be technical investigations, although there may not be the same level of activity that we saw during the search-and-rescue investigation, but they will be continuing as the experts determine what we need to do."

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