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WorldCreeslough explosion: Funerals scheduled for victims, a girl and her father

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Creeslough explosion: Funerals scheduled for victims, a girl and her father

A five-year-old girl and her father are to be buried after being killed in an explosion in Creeslough, County Donegal, a week ago.

Among the ten persons killed were Robert Garwe, 50, and his daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe.

Their funeral will be the last to be held for the victims of the blast at a petrol station on 7 October.

Like many of the other victims, their funeral Mass will be held in St Michael’s Church, Creeslough.

The explosion happened at the Applegreen service station at about 15:20 in an incident being treated by the Garda (Irish police) as a “tragic accident”.

Shauna was the youngest of those killed and was with her father at the time of the tragedy.

Earlier this week, Creeslough pharmacist Fergus Brennan paid tribute to Shauna, describing her as a “playful, energetic little girl”.

“A beautiful little girl… her dad doted on her,” he said.

St Michael's Church in Creeslough
Image caption, St Michael’s Church in Creeslough has been the scene of many funerals of the victims of the explosion

Robert, known in the village as Bob, had taken his daughter to the shop to buy a birthday cake and treats.

Throughout the week, eight other funerals have been held, either in the small village itself or the surrounding areas.

On Friday, mourners at the funeral for the oldest victim, Hugh Kelly, 59, were told that “nobody did it like Hughie”.

Fr John Joe Duffy told mourners that “Hughie could always be relied upon for turning his hand to many a job”.

Reflecting on when he arrived in Creeslough following the explosion, the Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian told BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster programme: “I don’t think I’ve seen anything sadder.”

Bishop McGuckian said there had been a “tsunami of prayer” from the community of Creeslough and beyond in the past week.

The victims of the explosion were Jessica Gallagher, Robert Garwe, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, Leona Harper, Hugh Kelly, Martina Martin, Martin McGill, James Monaghan, Catherine O'Donnell and James O'Flaherty

Gardaí is continuing to investigate the cause of the blast in a building complex that included a service station, convenience store, and apartments.

The store, which had a post office, was the main shop serving the 400-strong village.

On Thursday, the funerals of Leona Harper and Martina Martin were held.

James O’Flaherty, Catherine O’Donnell, and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan were buried on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, funeral services were held at St Michael’s Church in the village for Jessica Gallagher, 24, and 49-year-old Martin McGill.

 

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