Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Singer flies in to attend Mass for blast victims
SINGER Daniel O’donnell told the people of Creeslough prayers were offered for them from all over the world after an explosion left 10 people dead.
Daniel and wife Majella flew in especially from the US after he was invited to perform at the last Novena of Masses for the Deceased at St Michael’s Church in the village on Friday night.
The entertainer was asked to come by his lifelong friend Fr John Joe Duffy, the priest whose words have comforted so many since the tragedy on October 7.
At the end of the service Daniel said: “I have no other words other than to let you know that people all over the world contacted me about you.
“I am only saying what you have been told already but it is important you know that not alone was Donegal or Ireland holding you up, the whole world was holding you up and is holding you up because prayer doesn’t stop but neither does the pain stop or the memory of the tragedy.
“It doesn’t stop so I know these people who are praying for you at the time and many of them are still praying.”
James O’flaherty, 48, Jessica Gallagher, 24, Martin Mcgill, 49, Catherine O Donnell, 39 and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan were killed in the blast at the Applegreen filling station.
Hugh Kellym, 59, Martina Martin, 49, Leona Harper, 14, Robert Garwe 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan also died.
Fr Duffy concluded the Novena Mass by quoting 12-year-old Hamish O’flaherty who lost his father James in the tragedy.
He said: “If I have learned anything it is that we should be grateful for our families because they won’t be there forever. Be grateful for your life. It won’t last forever.”