Donegal explosion: Girl, 5, and her father killed in petrol station blast – as all 10 victims named
A five-year-old girl and her father were among 10 people killed in the devastating explosion at a petrol station in Ireland, as the identities of all the victims were revealed.
A mother and her 13-year-old son were also among the dead following the blast in the village of Creeslough on Friday afternoon, in what has been described as a “freak accident”.
In a news conference on Sunday, police said the victims were James O Flaherty, 48, Jessica Gallagher, 24, Martin McGill, 49, Catherine O Donnell, 39, and her son James Monaghan, 13, Hugh Kelly, 59, Martina Martin, 49, Robert Garwe, 50, and his daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, aged five, and 14-year-old Leona Harper.
Leona Harper, 14
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Petrol station blast victims named
A man in his 20s is in a critical condition in hospital in Dublin, while seven other people are being treated at Letterkenny University Hospital and are described as being in a stable condition.
Tributes have been paid to Leona, with Letterkenny Rugby Club describing her as a “talented rugby player” and an “important part of our U14 girls’ team” in a post on their Facebook page.
Leona’s father Hugh wrote underneath the post: “The past 24 hours have been nothing short of hell.
“Leona loved rugby, although this year she was taking time out for boxing. But her first love was Letterkenny Rugby Club.”
Shauna Flanagan Garwe, aged five, was killed in the blast with her father Robert
Robert Garwe, 50
Leona and fellow victim James Monaghan were pupils at Mulroy College, as were a number of those injured in the blast.
The school’s principal Fiona Temple said: “We as a school community are devastated on hearing of the tragedy and the fatal outcome for our two beautiful students and our cherished parents.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families and the Creeslough community at this time.
“We are numbed by this overwhelming sadness and will work together to support all members of our school community in the coming days, weeks and months ahead.”
Catherine O Donnell, 39., and her son James Monaghan, 13 years
Martina Martin, 49
Glenswilly Gaelic Athletic Association posted in memory of Ms Martin, saying the club had been “shocked” to learn of her death in the disaster.
Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty said on Sunday that the scene of the explosion is still being examined and remains cordoned off.
Hugh Kelly, 59
Martin McGill, 49
Post mortem examinations on the victims have started and will continue over the next few days, although results will not be released for “operational reasons”.
Mr Geraghty said: “It is a huge impact for a small rural community – they were all local people, all very much involved in the community, all shopping in their local shop.
“But it is a very strong community, as seen here on Friday afternoon…so I’m sure the community will come together and will support each other.”
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Jessica Gallagher, 24
James O’Flaherty, 48
The Pope has offered his condolences to the people of Ireland in the wake of the explosion.
A statement sent by his representative to Bishop of Raphoe Alexander McGuckian reads: “His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the loss of life and destruction caused by the explosion in Creeslough and he expresses his spiritual closeness to all those suffering in the aftermath of this tragedy.
“While entrusting the deceased to the merciful love of almighty god, His Holiness implores the divine blessings of consolation and healing upon the injured, the displaced and the families coping with pain of loss.
“As a pledge of strength and peace in the lord, the Holy Father sends his blessing to all the people of Ireland.”
Bishop McGuckian earlier told Sunday mass at St Michael’s Church that the community of Creeslough was “living through a nightmare of shock and horror”.
He added: “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.”
Mr Geraghty said there had been “very traumatic scenes” on Friday, adding that emergency services personnel had come from across Co Donegal as well as from Northern Ireland to help.
A new aid system has opened its first distribution centres in Gaza, according to a US-backed organisation dealing with supplies.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began its operations in the territory on Monday, following the resignation of its director, Jake Wood, over its independence.
Gaza’s 2.3m population has been pushed towards famine by Israel’s almost three-month blockade.
Boxes of aid to be distributed across Rafah. Pic: Reuters.
The GHF said lorryloads of food – it did not say how many – had been delivered to its hubs, and distribution to Palestinians had begun.
“More trucks with aid will be delivered tomorrow, with the flow of aid increasing each day,” it said in a statement.
The controversial group, backed by Israel and the United States, has been rejected by the United Nations and other aid groups.
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People line up for food in Gaza
UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF.
They claim Israel is weaponising food, and the new distribution system will be ineffective and lead to further displacement of Palestinians.
They also argue the GHF will fail to meet local needs, and violates humanitarian principles that prohibit a warring party from controlling humanitarian assistance.
In the meantime, scores of Palestinians in Gaza, like Islam Abu Taima, have resorted to searching through rubbish to find food.
Palestinians are having to search through rubbish to find food
She found a small pile of cooked rice, scraps of bread, and a box with a few pieces of cheese inside it – which she said she will serve to her five children.
“We’re dying of hunger,” she told the Associated Press news agency.
“If we don’t eat, we’ll die.”
Islam Abu Taeima finds a piece of bread in a pile of rubbish in Gaza City. Pic: AP.
It is unclear how many of the GHF’s aid trucks will enter Gaza.
It claims it will reach one million Palestinians by the end of the week.
There are questions, however, over who is funding it and how it will work.
Trucks transporting aid for Palestinians in Rafah. Pic: Reuters.
It has been set up as part of an Israeli plan – rather than a UN distribution effort.
Israel, which suggested a similar plan earlier this year, has said it will not be involved in distributing the aid but supported the plan and would provide security.
It says aid deliveries into Gaza are taken by Hamas instead of going to civilians.
Aid groups, however, say there is no evidence of this happening on a systemic basis.
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Israel began to allow a limited amount of food into Gaza last week – after a blockade that prevented food, medicine, fuel and other goods from entering the Palestinian enclave.
A letter has been signed by hundreds of judges and lawyers calling on the UK government to impose trade sanctions on Israel.
It also calls for Israeli ministers to be sanctioned and the suspension of Israel from the UN over “serious breaches of international law”.
“Genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza or that, at a minimum, there is a serious risk of genocide,” the letter says.
The Israeli government has repeatedly dismissed allegations of genocide in Gaza.
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At least 31 dead after school attack
More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its ground invasion of Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, following the deadly attacks by the militant group on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw around 250 people taken hostage.
The health ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters in Gaza.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are being urged to use their visit to Canada to seek an apology for the abuse of British children.
Campaigners have called on them to pursue an apology for the “dire circumstances” suffered by so-called “Home Children” over decades.
More than 100,000 were shipped from orphan homes in the UK to Canada between 1869 and 1948 with many used as cheap labour, typically as farm workers and domestic servants. Many were subject to mistreatment and abuse.
Canada has resisted calls to follow the UK and Australia in apologising for its involvement in child migrant schemes.
King Charles and Mark Carney on Monday. Pic: PA
Campaigners for the Home Children say the royal visit presents a “great opportunity” for a change of heart.
“I would ask that King Charles uses his trip to request an apology,” John Jefkins told Sky News.
John’s father Bert was one of 115,000 British Home Children transported to Canada, arriving in 1914 with his brother Reggie.
“It’s really important for the Home Children themselves and for their descendants,” John said.
“It’s something we deserve and it’s really important for the healing process, as well as building awareness of the experience of the Home Children.
“They were treated very, very badly by the Canadian government at the time. A lot of them were abused, they were treated horribly. They were second-class citizens, lepers in a way.”
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John Jefkins
John added: “I think the King’s visit provides a great opportunity to reinforce our campaign and to pursue an apology because we’re part of the Commonwealth and King Charles is a new Head of the Commonwealth meeting a new Canadian prime minister. It’s a chance, for both, to look at the situation with a fresh eye.
“There’s much about this visit that looks on our sovereignty and who we are as Canadians, rightly so.
“I think it’s also right that in contemplating the country we built, we focus on the people who built it, many in the most trying of circumstances.”
The issue was addressed by the then Prince of Wales during a tour of Canada in May 2022. He said at the time: “We must find new ways to come to terms with the darker and more difficult aspects of the past.”
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King Charles and Queen Camilla are on a two-day visit to Canada.
On Tuesday, the King will deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the 45th session of Canada’s parliament.
Camilla was made Patron of Barnardo’s in 2016. The organisation sent tens of thousands of Home Children to Canada. She took on the role, having served as president since 2007.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for the Canadian government said: “The government of Canada is committed to keeping the memory of the British Home Children alive.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada deeply regrets this unjust and discriminatory policy, which was in place from 1869 to 1948. Such an approach would have no place in modern Canada, and we must learn from past mistakes.”
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