People of Creeslough ‘living though a nightmare of shock and horror’ – Bishop

The huge explosion claimed the lives of four men, three women, two teenagers – a boy and girl – and a girl of primary-school age.

The names of some of those killed have begun to emerge.

Talented teenage rugby player Leona Harper; Jessica Gallagher, who was understood to have been in her early 20s; shop worker Martina Martin; Catherine O’Donnell and her son James; and Hughie Kelly have all been named locally as among those who died.

Four others, including the young primary school pupil, were also killed.

Addressing the congregation during Sunday mass at St Michael’s Church in Creeslough, Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian said: “At this time, you, the people of Creeslough, are living through a nightmare of shock and horror since the very heart of the community was deeply wounded on Friday afternoon.

“It’s an experience that we are living through together. But we recognise that the trauma is different for every single individual. We hold in our hearts most especially those for whom this is most acute.

“We think firstly of the 10 who have lost their lives and gone to God, and then of those nearest to them who are most cruelly bereaved.

“And then we think of the injured, struggling to recover in body and spirit. We think of everyone, both from the community and the first responders in the public services who have carried the burden of being close to the tragedy as it has unfolded.

“And we remember everyone here in Creeslough, and indeed throughout Ireland and further, who feels helpless and shaken by what has happened.”

He spoke about the randomness of what had happened and the upset caused by seeing what can happen in life.

“Over the last couple of days as people gathered in groups to talk about what has happened here these last days, the one word that stands out for me in relation to the explosion is something somebody said.

“It is so random, they said. And what she was referring to was, anybody could have been caught up in that. There’s something deeply shocking and upsetting about what life throws up, can throw up.

“We ask why did it have to happen here, to this person, that person, why did they have to be there at that awful moment?

“The bereaved and the injured have to carry the awful insecurity of that question. Others of us could easily carry a certain sense of guilt.

“Why was it them and not me who was hit by the randomness of this tragedy? There is fundamentally a terrible realisation that we are not masters of our own destiny.

“We are very fragile, all of us, fragile and vulnerable,” he said.

Ten red candles sat flickering at the front of the altar during the mass.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who visited the site of the explosion on Saturday evening, said the entire nation is mourning following the tragedy.

Irish police believe the blast that ripped through the Applegreen service station and convenience store and adjoining buildings was accidental.

All of the 10 victims were from the wider Creeslough area.

A further eight people injured in the explosion remained in hospital on Saturday.

The lengthy search-and-recovery operation concluded on Saturday afternoon.