Cork girl safe after Manchester terror attack

A CORK teenager who was caught up in the devastating scenes that took place in Manchester on Monday night had her grandmother watching over her, according to her uncle.

Kiara McKelvey, who grew up in Togher before moving to Manchester two years ago, was inside the Manchester Arena when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Ariana Grande concert.

Her uncle, Lloyd Creagh from Cork City, said that Kiara had to climb fencing and avoid the mass panic before she and a friend exited the venue safely.

Mr Creagh believes that his mother, Kiara’s grandmother, who died eight years ago, was acting as her guardian angel that night and guided her to safety.

“My mother, who died eight years ago, adored all of her grandchildren,” Mr Creagh said.

“My faith has been restored after this. Something, or somebody, was looking after Kiara.“We’re counting our lucky stars. Some kids were not so lucky”.He said that Kiara had heard a loud bang moments after the concert had ended and knew that something was wrong.

Mr Creagh praised Kiara for her maturity during the tragedy, saying that she and her friend were met outside by her friends mother and taken to safety. She rang her parents immediately to inform them that she was safe.

Kiara, a former student at Colaiste Choilm in Ballincollig, went to bravely wentto school the next day.