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| Creeslough explosion teen victim 'was full of joy' | Creeslough explosion teen victim 'was full of joy' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Creeslough explosion: 'James was full of life and full of joy' | Creeslough explosion: 'James was full of life and full of joy' |
| Creeslough explosion: 'James was full of life and full of joy' | Creeslough explosion: 'James was full of life and full of joy' |
| Mourners at the funeral for James O'Flaherty, one of the victims of the Creeslough explosion, heard he was an "amazing and capable man". | Mourners at the funeral for James O'Flaherty, one of the victims of the Creeslough explosion, heard he was an "amazing and capable man". |
| Catherine O'Donnell, 39, and her son James Monaghan, 13, were also buried in County Donegal on Wednesday. | Catherine O'Donnell, 39, and her son James Monaghan, 13, were also buried in County Donegal on Wednesday. |
| The congregation heard she was bubbly and loved organising parties, while her son was full of life and joy. | The congregation heard she was bubbly and loved organising parties, while her son was full of life and joy. |
| Ten people were killed in Friday's explosion, which police said appears to have been a tragic accident. | Ten people were killed in Friday's explosion, which police said appears to have been a tragic accident. |
| James O'Flaherty was an engineer | James O'Flaherty was an engineer |
| Mr O'Flaherty, 48, was originally from Sydney in Australia, but was living with his wife Tracey and son Hamish in Dunfanaghy, a village about 10 minutes' drive from Creeslough. | Mr O'Flaherty, 48, was originally from Sydney in Australia, but was living with his wife Tracey and son Hamish in Dunfanaghy, a village about 10 minutes' drive from Creeslough. |
| Fr Brian O Fearraigh, speaking at St Mary's Church in Derrybeg, said Mr O'Flaherty lived for his wife Tracey and son Hamish. | Fr Brian O Fearraigh, speaking at St Mary's Church in Derrybeg, said Mr O'Flaherty lived for his wife Tracey and son Hamish. |
| "James showered his loving son and wife in hugs and kisses every day," he said. | "James showered his loving son and wife in hugs and kisses every day," he said. |
| "James O'Flaherty was a generous and a kind man. He loved chatting to other people and he just wanted to spend all his free time with you - his family. | "James O'Flaherty was a generous and a kind man. He loved chatting to other people and he just wanted to spend all his free time with you - his family. |
| "He had honesty and integrity in abundance. | "He had honesty and integrity in abundance. |
| "He was a man who had high morals which I'm told are traits and values that he shared with his late father." | "He was a man who had high morals which I'm told are traits and values that he shared with his late father." |
| The hearse carrying the coffin of James O'Flaherty makes its way to St Mary's Church in Derrybeg | The hearse carrying the coffin of James O'Flaherty makes its way to St Mary's Church in Derrybeg |
| Pupils from Hamish's school provided a guard of honour as his father's remains were brought into the church. | Pupils from Hamish's school provided a guard of honour as his father's remains were brought into the church. |
| Gifts were presented at the beginning of the Mass, including a box of chocolates and a framed family photography. | Gifts were presented at the beginning of the Mass, including a box of chocolates and a framed family photography. |
| A copy of Roald Dahl's Going Solo was also brought to the altar - father and son had been reading the book before the tragedy. | A copy of Roald Dahl's Going Solo was also brought to the altar - father and son had been reading the book before the tragedy. |
| Addressing the congregation, 12-year-old Hamish urged mourners to "cherish" their families. | Addressing the congregation, 12-year-old Hamish urged mourners to "cherish" their families. |
| "Be grateful, for they won't be there forever… Use the time you have wisely," he said. | "Be grateful, for they won't be there forever… Use the time you have wisely," he said. |
| Mourners at the funeral of James O'Flaherty heard he was a great man who worked hard | Mourners at the funeral of James O'Flaherty heard he was a great man who worked hard |
| Hamish described his father as a "great man", who worked "very hard and very long each day". | Hamish described his father as a "great man", who worked "very hard and very long each day". |
| "He wore a jacket with a huge paint stain on the side of it everywhere. He managed this by leaning on a wall which was still wet with paint," he said. | "He wore a jacket with a huge paint stain on the side of it everywhere. He managed this by leaning on a wall which was still wet with paint," he said. |
| "He wore the jacket everywhere. To the shops, to the movies, to the beach." | "He wore the jacket everywhere. To the shops, to the movies, to the beach." |
| 'Take the grief' | 'Take the grief' |
| Irish president Michael D Higgins is attending the funerals. | Irish president Michael D Higgins is attending the funerals. |
| Speaking after Mr O'Flaherty's funeral, he said: "It is important to recognise that when a terrible disaster like this happens, that it doesn't weigh only on those who have lost their lives or those who are injured or their families. | Speaking after Mr O'Flaherty's funeral, he said: "It is important to recognise that when a terrible disaster like this happens, that it doesn't weigh only on those who have lost their lives or those who are injured or their families. |
| "It's a lesson to everybody to see, in a way, how an entire community can be initially numb with the tragedy and interpreting it, but the way they're able to respond. | "It's a lesson to everybody to see, in a way, how an entire community can be initially numb with the tragedy and interpreting it, but the way they're able to respond. |
| "Being able to take the grief of others into ourselves is a very important aspect of character both for a person and a community." | "Being able to take the grief of others into ourselves is a very important aspect of character both for a person and a community." |
| President Michael D Higgins attended both of the funeral services in County Donegal | President Michael D Higgins attended both of the funeral services in County Donegal |
| An Garda Síochána (Irish police) continues to investigate the cause of the blast in a building complex that included a service station, convenience store and residential apartments. | An Garda Síochána (Irish police) continues to investigate the cause of the blast in a building complex that included a service station, convenience store and residential apartments. |
| The store, which included a post office, was the main shop serving the 400-strong village. | The store, which included a post office, was the main shop serving the 400-strong village. |
| Embraces and hugs on a difficult day | Embraces and hugs on a difficult day |
| By Davy Wilson, in Donegal | |
| It is another difficult day in Donegal. | It is another difficult day in Donegal. |
| Outside St Mary's Church in Derrybeg, mourners greet one another, embrace and hug. | Outside St Mary's Church in Derrybeg, mourners greet one another, embrace and hug. |
| In this tranquil Irish speaking part of the county, they gather for the funeral of James O'Flaherty. | In this tranquil Irish speaking part of the county, they gather for the funeral of James O'Flaherty. |
| Among them, uniformed children from Faugher National School, where Mr O'Flaherty's son Hamish had been a pupil: a guard of honour to meet the cortege and welcome President Higgins. | Among them, uniformed children from Faugher National School, where Mr O'Flaherty's son Hamish had been a pupil: a guard of honour to meet the cortege and welcome President Higgins. |
| It is a large crowd that has come to Donegal's Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) area for a Mass conducted in Irish and English. | It is a large crowd that has come to Donegal's Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) area for a Mass conducted in Irish and English. |
| Many here will have travelled this morning through the Poisoned Glen, an area of natural beauty that belies its name. | Many here will have travelled this morning through the Poisoned Glen, an area of natural beauty that belies its name. |
| Many have made the journey now to Creeslough for the funeral Mass for Catherine O'Donnell, and her son James. | Many have made the journey now to Creeslough for the funeral Mass for Catherine O'Donnell, and her son James. |
| On the way into this village so devastated by Friday's explosion, some stood silently at the roadside as two coffins, as a mother and son, passed by. | On the way into this village so devastated by Friday's explosion, some stood silently at the roadside as two coffins, as a mother and son, passed by. |
| Many more lined Creeslough's Main Street. | Many more lined Creeslough's Main Street. |
| Outside St Michael's, the community stands side by side again. | Outside St Michael's, the community stands side by side again. |
| So many who were here on Tuesday are here again, as a village continues to mourn. | So many who were here on Tuesday are here again, as a village continues to mourn. |
| Read more here. | |
| The congregation heard Catherine was "bubbly" and that James was "full of life and joy" | The congregation heard Catherine was "bubbly" and that James was "full of life and joy" |
| Catherine and James were in the queue for the post office when the explosion happened. | Catherine and James were in the queue for the post office when the explosion happened. |
| They had gone there after the 13-year-old had finished school for the day. | They had gone there after the 13-year-old had finished school for the day. |
| Creeslough spirit shines amid darkness of tragedy | Creeslough spirit shines amid darkness of tragedy |
| Donegal community 'living through a nightmare' | Donegal community 'living through a nightmare' |
| Who were the victims of the petrol station explosion? | Who were the victims of the petrol station explosion? |
| At their funeral in Creeslough, Fr John Joe Duffy told James's classmates: "James was full of devilment, wasn't he? And full of life and joy. | At their funeral in Creeslough, Fr John Joe Duffy told James's classmates: "James was full of devilment, wasn't he? And full of life and joy. |
| "That's what he would want boys and girls. He would want that joy and that life in you, and to value your life and always do well in life." | "That's what he would want boys and girls. He would want that joy and that life in you, and to value your life and always do well in life." |
| The priest added: "He was just a child taxiing down the runway about to take off into his teenage years. He was just about to launch into life. | The priest added: "He was just a child taxiing down the runway about to take off into his teenage years. He was just about to launch into life. |
| "It is no wonder, under such circumstances, that words fail us this afternoon." | "It is no wonder, under such circumstances, that words fail us this afternoon." |
| The congregation heard Catherine was "bubbly", a "glam lady" who loved to shop. | The congregation heard Catherine was "bubbly", a "glam lady" who loved to shop. |
| "She was very intelligent and she loved parties," Fr Duffy told mourners. "She loved organising parties." | "She was very intelligent and she loved parties," Fr Duffy told mourners. "She loved organising parties." |
| "She was a loving mother, a loving partner, a loving daughter and one who was much, much loved." | "She was a loving mother, a loving partner, a loving daughter and one who was much, much loved." |
| 'A gift to the world' | 'A gift to the world' |
| Fr Duffy said the village of Creeslough had shown the power of community when dealing with tragedy. | Fr Duffy said the village of Creeslough had shown the power of community when dealing with tragedy. |
| "Creeslough, maybe, out of all of this suffering and pain, had given a gift to the rest of the world... A new understanding of what it means to be community," he said. | "Creeslough, maybe, out of all of this suffering and pain, had given a gift to the rest of the world... A new understanding of what it means to be community," he said. |
| "The strength of our people in tragedy has set a template for the world about how in the midst of the greatest pain and grief we are strongest when we rely on each other, support one another." | "The strength of our people in tragedy has set a template for the world about how in the midst of the greatest pain and grief we are strongest when we rely on each other, support one another." |
| On Tuesday, Masses were held at St Michael's Church in the village for Jessica Gallagher, 24, and 49-year-old Martin McGill. | On Tuesday, Masses were held at St Michael's Church in the village for Jessica Gallagher, 24, and 49-year-old Martin McGill. |
| Mourners at Ms Gallagher's funeral were told that she would be remembered for the "ripples of love, affection and warmth" she left behind. | Mourners at Ms Gallagher's funeral were told that she would be remembered for the "ripples of love, affection and warmth" she left behind. |
| Mr McGill was described as having a "beautiful, gentle soul". | Mr McGill was described as having a "beautiful, gentle soul". |
| The funerals of two other victims - 14-year-old Leona Harper and 49-year-old Martina Martin - will take place on Thursday, while Hugh Kelly, 59, will be laid to rest on Friday. | The funerals of two other victims - 14-year-old Leona Harper and 49-year-old Martina Martin - will take place on Thursday, while Hugh Kelly, 59, will be laid to rest on Friday. |
| The two remaining victims were 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe. | The two remaining victims were 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe. |