First funerals of Ireland explosion held as tight-knit community 'full of grief'

11 October 2022, 14:19 | Updated: 11 October 2022, 14:29

Fashion designer Jessica Gallagher, 24, was laid to rest as Ireland mourns.
Fashion designer Jessica Gallagher, 24, was laid to rest as Ireland mourns. Picture: Garda police/PA

By James Hockaday

The first funeral services are being held today for victims of an explosion at a service station in Ireland that left 10 people dead.

Fashion designer Jessica Gallagher, 24, was the first to be laid to rest this afternoon at St Michael's Church, following Friday's blast in Creeslough, Co Donegal.

Mass for another victim – 49-year-old Martin McGill, who was originally from Scotland – will be held at the church later on today.

Hundreds of mourners attended the first service, where 10 red candles have been lit to represent the victims of the tragedy which has shocked the whole of Ireland.

Everyone who met Jessica knew her "radiant smile", Fr John Joe Duffy told the service as he expressed his "sincere and heartfelt sympathies" to the family.

A framed photograph of Jessica and a shirt she had been making, one of her first fashion commissions, were brought forward at the start of the service and placed on the casket.

Read more: 'Living in a nightmare of shock and horror': All 10 victims killed in Irish petrol station explosion named by police

Jessica Gallagher, 24 years, a victim in the Irish petrol station explosion
Jessica was remembered for her "love, affection, kindness and warmth". Picture: Garda police
Jessica was remembered for her “love, affection, kindness and warmth”.
Hundreds of people came to say their final goodbyes to the fashion designer. Picture: PA

Read more: Tributes paid after talented rugby player named among victims of Irish petrol station blast that claimed ten lives

Emergency services who took part in the recovery operation attended the service, and Ireland's president Michael D Higgins, and premier, Micheal Martin, were represented by aide-de-camps from the Irish Defence Forces.

In a message to the family, Fr Duffy said: "We would love to be able to put in our hands to your hearts and take away that grief and that pain that you are suffering this morning.

“But to even think of that would not be a sensible thing to do. Because in that void, in that grief, there you hold in your hearts Jessica.

“While we cannot take that pain away for you, we want to walk with you. We cannot feel your pain but we will walk with you in that pain because to even say that we feel that pain would not be right or not be fair to you, but we walk in that pain.

“The greater someone is loved, the greater that pain and that pain is so immense, and Jessica will forever remain in your heart, but she will also be with you, she will remain with you.”

The tight-knit community of Creeslough is 'full of grief'
The tight-knit community of Creeslough is 'full of grief'. Picture: PA

Delivering his homily, Fr Duffy said Jessica “radiated a warm and positive feeling” to all who knew her well. The priest said she left ripples of “love, affection, kindness and warmth” wherever she went.

Fr Duffy said Jessica was “bursting with energy and imagination”, adding: “Everyone who knew Jessica knew that radiant smile. That radiant smile that would light up a room with that infectious warmth that flowed from her.

"She always brought that sun whether things were happy or difficult.”

He said she was a practical joker in the family and been known to put seaweed in people’s beds. The cleric said her success in life was based on “hard work and determination”.

“Jessica was of a slender stature, but very strong, very strong, in every way possible,” he said. “Strong in her own opinions, strong in her own self belief, in her determination."

Read more: Russian state TV blames Ukraine’s OWN air defence systems after civilians killed in missile onslaught

The family of Jessica watch as her coffin leaves St Michael's Church.
The family of Jessica watch as her coffin leaves St Michael's Church. Picture: PA

Telling mourners how Jessica had friends across the world, Fr Duffy said: “Isn’t it appropriate for a girl that travelled to so many countries, that the hearts of so many people around the world are with you as a family.

“She took herself off to Paris to study fashion. She came to note in Paris and then she was given a place because of her exceptional talent to go on to study further in Shanghai. “It was only the start of greater things to come.

“No matter how far she travelled or progressed, the place she was proud of was her beautiful family home. She used Donegal tweed in her designs, which helped to get her to Paris, and it always remained a feature of her design. Donegal was in her heart.”

Ms Gallagher, who was due to have started her new job in Belfast on Monday, was buried at Doe Cemetery after this afternoon's mass.

The tight-knit community of Creeslough has been described as "full of grief", but Fr Duffy said the outpouring of support is “like a tidal wave lifting us and trying to float us out of the tsunami of grief”.

Candle-lit vigils took place across Donegal and in Londonderry on Monday. Books of condolence have also been opened in towns and cities across Ireland.

Read more: Police hunting Katie Piper’s acid attacker believe he fled country over two months ago after prison recall

The whole country is still coming to terms with the blast, which killed 10 people.
The whole country is still coming to terms with the blast, which killed 10 people. Picture: PA

On Monday, the King extended his condolences to the people of Ireland following the “appallingly tragic” explosion. The cause of the blast has not been confirmed, but a gas leak is one theory.

The other victims were 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, who were in the shop to buy a birthday cake; 48-year-old James O’Flaherty; 14-year-old Leona Harper; 39-year-old Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; 59-year-old Hugh Kelly and 49-year-old Martina Martin.

Mr O’Flaherty’s funeral will be at St Mary’s Church in Derrybeg on Wednesday morning. A joint service will be held for Ms O’Donnell and her son James at St Michael’s in Creeslough on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Harper’s funeral will take place at St Mary’s Church in Ramelton on Thursday. Mrs Martin, a mother of four, will also be laid to rest on Thursday with a service at St Michael’s Church.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Exclusive
The former Deputy Foreign Secretary said: “Many countries in Europe are simply not spending anywhere near, in percentage terms, what America is spending.

UK needs to ‘spend less on welfare and more on defence’ to support Ukraine, former Deputy Foreign Secretary tells LBC

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple detained in Iran pictured for the first time as family break silence on 'distressing situation'

The Jet2 plane was forced to divert.

Jet2 plane bound for UK makes emergency landing after passenger dies on board

he Philadelphia Eagles celebrate in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025

Two women shot and injured during Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, police say

Social media footage showed a man being kicked on the ground by his knife-wielding attacker.

Two charged by police after shock footage shows man kicked and spat at by knifeman after ‘burning Koran’ in London

Jannik Sinner

World tennis number one Jannik Sinner handed three-month ban for doping

Keith Edun, 47, used the messaging app “Kik” to spread vile images of children

Predator who encouraged man to rape a baby after sharing vile images of children online is jailed for 21 years

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 15, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

Zelenskyy calls for creation of ‘European army’ as he warns Russia 'will pull Europe apart' if not defeated

The woman who said she was raped by rappers and business moguls Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2000, when she was 13, has dropped her civil lawsuit against both men.

Woman who accused Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of raping her when she was 13 drops lawsuit

Liam Payne died last Wednesday.

One Direction star Liam Payne was 'sectioned' after near-fatal overdose months before death, close friend claims

Hamas hands over 3 Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip to Red Cross

Israeli hostages paraded on stage before being freed as four Palestinian prisoners released in 'critical condition'

uk british national lottery euromillions ticket with picks

Winning numbers revealed as single UK EuroMillions ticket holder scoops massive £65million Valentine’s Day jackpot

Breaking
Emergency services were called just after 7pm on Friday amid reports a woman had suffered serious injuries

Woman dies after Valentine's Day shooting at village pub as murder probe launched

Rob and Lindsey Burrow a few weeks before he died

Rob Burrow's wife reveals heartbreaking moment she knew rugby league star 'couldn't go on' with MND struggle

Axel Rudakubana will be 'target number one' in prison

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana's sentence won't be referred to Court of Appeal despite claims it's 'unduly lenient'

The damaged shield

'Risk of radioactive leak' after Russian 'high explosive' drone hits Chernobyl, causing 'significant damage'