Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is one month since the tragedy visited Creeslough, with the loss of ten beautiful lives that gave so much joy to their families, friends and community. They were 14-year-old Leona Harper, who went into the shop to buy an ice cream, excited about the sleepover she was about to attend that evening; Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter, little Shauna Flanagan Garwe, who had gone into the shop together to buy a birthday cake for Shauna's mother; Hugh Kelly, who had driven Shauna and her father, Bob, to the shop, a simple act of friendship that reflected his kindness and generosity; young Jessica Gallagher, who had embarked on her journey as a fashion designer and had just posted a card to her sister Lisa; James O'Flaherty, who had gone into the shop while his 12-year-old son waited in the car on the forecourt for his father's return; Catherine O'Donnell and her young son James Monaghan, who she had just met off the school bus before they made their way into the post office; Martina Martin, a loving mother of four, who was working that day, described as a friend to everyone and the mammy of the workplace; and Martin McGill, known for his kindness, who had gone into the shop that day to run errands for his mother. This deep loss now reflects just how full and beautiful their lives were. They truly left their mark and we remember them all.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured that day, those who remain in hospital and those who are recovering at home. The grief felt by families in the community of Creeslough is the grief of this nation and beyond its waves. Their loss is a loss for the nation. They have also offered us a glimpse of what the nation is and what it means through their bravery and strength and the instinct to help their neighbour with whatever resources were at their disposal.

Many were local people without training or experience who found themselves in the middle of the rescue effort. First responders raced to the scene to offer help and comfort. Nurses and healthcare workers who live locally were driven by their innate sense of service. Fr. John Joe Duffy, the rock, the tower of strength, himself a first responder, has provided so much support, comfort, consolation and hope to the families and the community. Local businesses opened their doors, offering their services and premises to the first responders and others in the village. The Garda, the fire services, Donegal County Council and many other first responders were on the scene and acted with such compassion and understanding. They included those who rushed from the North to provide support and to take part in the rescue efforts. Many of them refused to leave right until the end. This is a community that, despite the devastation of loss, has galvanised to support and comfort one another.

Despite their strength and resilience, however, they cannot do this on their own, I believe. We need to ask ourselves and one another what the families and the community of Creeslough need now and in the time ahead. First, we need to respect their privacy. Second, we need to recognise that the physical hub of the community is destroyed. It lies in rubble. We need to listen to the community and to provide the infrastructure, both physical and social, that is needed for them to ensure the families affected in the community at large can begin the slow process of healing in the time ahead. Counselling services must be available for a sustained period, as and when they are needed, for those affected by this tragedy, not only within the community of Creeslough but further afield. While the main road will reopen in the time ahead and a new shop will open its doors to service the community again, rivers of tears will continue to flow in the community and its hinterland because the people there have faced a great trauma and tragedy that has deprived them of their loved ones in such sudden and tragic circumstances. In their grief and their love and support for one another, they have cast a light not only on the beautiful lives of each and every one of those who lost their lives but also on the fragility of life and the strength of community.

I will finish by quoting the words of wisdom spoken by Hamish, the son of James O'Flaherty. He told us as we attended the funeral mass of his father:

We should be grateful. For your families, cherish them ... because they won't be there forever, so use up the time you have wisely. Also, be grateful for your life because that too will not last forever. But be grateful for you will be able to rest after your hard work.

Those words of Hamish have such power because they are the words of truth. We remember Leona, Robert, Shauna, Martina, Jessica, James, Hugh, Catherine, James and Martin. We pray that their families and friends will find comfort in their grief.

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