Creeslough families 'cannot wait' like Stardust relatives

Bereaved families of the Creeslough tragedy have said they cannot wait like the relatives of Stardust victims to get answers about the explosion that claimed the lives of their loved ones.

Over 20 family members of those killed in the explosion almost two years ago have reiterated their calls for a public inquiry.

Ann Marie Boyle, whose sister Catherine O'Donnell and nephew James Monaghan died in the blast, said she cannot wait years to know the truth, as happened to the Stardust families.

Ms Boyle said: "There are no answers. Nobody is giving us answers. We understand the Stardust families had to wait years and years later before they got the proper answers.

"We don't want it to be years and years later to get answers about how our ten family members died."

Earlier this week several families wrote to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, calling for a public inquiry to run parallel to the ongoing garda investigation.

Donna Harper, whose 14-year-old daughter Leona was killed in the explosion appealed to the minister to meet the family.

Ms Harper said: "We just want to talk to the minister and tell her what we want and need. We just want her to listen to our stories. We're all united now because we all want answers.

"I will sit here today, and I will ask, please, Helen McEntee, give us that meeting as a family. Give us the meeting that we deserve."

The families are adamant they want to know what happened, why it happened, and they want appropriate action to be taken to ensure no one else endures the pain they have suffered.

Áine Flannigan, lost her five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe and her partner Robert Garwe. The pair died as they went to the shop to buy Áine a birthday cake.

Ms Flannigan said it has been "very difficult approaching the second anniversary with no answers".

She added: "When Bob [Robert] and Shauna were found they were found wrapped around each other. He was protecting her, as he did in life. And there are no words, really. I just miss their love."

Jessica Gallagher was a 24-year-old fashion designer who died in the explosion. She was about to start a new position in Belfast the following Monday.

Jessica’s father Anthony said he does not want any other family to go through what he has gone through over the last two years.

He said: "The loss is immeasurable. We don't wish that on anybody. We would like to get answers. We want the public inquiry to go ahead.

"As I understand, it can run in conjunction with the criminal investigation. At least it would speed things up to give everybody answers, not alone the families but the public as well."

Jessica’s sister, Shauna said all victims of the Creeslough tragedy deserve answers.

She said: "Nobody is going to move forward from the loss of a loved one in such tragic circumstances, but it’s more about being able to start putting the pieces of life back together.

"We're on hold. Everybody, ourselves, all the families, everybody is on hold, waiting to know what happened so that we can start grieving properly and start missing them properly."

A spokesperson for the Minister for Justice said she "has received the letter from the families and is currently considering its contents".

The spokesperson added "it would not be appropriate to comment further given there is an ongoing investigation underway".

Speaking at the conference of the Association of Garda Superintendents earlier this week, Minister McEntee acknowledged Creeslough was a "national tragedy".

The Fine Gael minister said she is "open to, as is the Government, to see what more may be needed", while not doing anything that may "jeopardise" the garda investigation.

Minister McEntee added that the "Government wants to ensure that they [families] get the answers that they need and deserve, not just to understand what happened to their loved ones, how this could have happened, but also to make sure that this never happens to anybody ever again".

Read more: 'Significant questions need answers', says Taoiseach as Govt to consider Creeslough inquiry request

A garda investigation, led by gardaí in the Donegal Division, is ongoing with the intention of submitting a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Families of those who were killed said they fully support the work of the garda investigation.

The Creeslough explosion claimed the lives of ten people - four men, three women and three children, ranging in age from five to 59.

Those who died were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, Jessica Gallagher, Martin McGill, James O'Flaherty, Martina Martin, Hugh 'Hughie’ Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

While the cause of the explosion has yet to be formally confirmed by the authorities, it is understood a gas leak was considered a central line of inquiry in the initial stages of the investigation.