Creeslough tragedy: Donegal Council to set up community support group

The council’s Chief Executive John McLaughlin told a special meeting of the local authority, held on Tuesday to acknowledge the Creeslough tragedy, that they could not and will not ‘forget the people of Creeslough in the days and months ahead.’

“We have been talking internally of setting up a special working group, with three staff, three councillors and three community leaders.”

Mr McLaughlin said plans would be finalised in the future and numbers in the group ‘might grow.’

"It’s about looking down the road for Creeslough and what we can do for Creeslough in the years ahead. Everyone has different ideas and within that group, together with the local community, it can make recommendations.”

Mr McLaughlin said the working group would be separate from other agencies currently working within the community and its organisation will ‘take a bit of time and needs careful thinking.”

The sombre meeting of the council heard tributes from councillors to the 10 people who died, their families and those injured.

There were also tributes to the emergency services from both sides of the border, as well as all the relevant bodies, including the council itself, who supported the rescue and recovery operation and those who are currently supporting the local community.

Mr McLaughlin said that ‘what stood out’ was ‘how seamlessly’ each of the organisations worked together and with ‘such dignity.’

Special words were expressed about the local community ‘who showed up and got stuck in immediately, without really thinking about themselves,’ as well as Father John Joe Duffy.

Donegal Cathaoirleach Councillor Liam Blaney said it was ‘difficult to comprehend’ that ‘something so tragic could happen.’

He told how ‘our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to the people in the Creeslough community and particularly to the families of those who have lost their lives’ and those who have been injured.

He added how ‘we will be forever indebted to our emergency services, who rushed to the scene, working through the night, at times in danger, to rescue people and to do everything they could to comfort people’’.

Colr Blaney acknowledged, ‘most of all, the input of the local community, who attended in large numbers and contributed so much to emergency service efforts at the site, including local contractors, machine operators and volunteers, to those who opened up their business to provide a cup of tea and a place for community to come together for consolation’.

"You, too, provided an invaluable service.”

Colr Blaney said the effects of the tragedy ‘will be felt for years and no doubt the weeks and months ahead will be difficult’.

"However, the last week has shown the huge strength, resilience and unity of how a community can come together and support each other in the face of tragedy. The people of Donegal were united in grief last week and as a county, will continue to be united.”

Colr Blaney read out the names of each of the ten people who lost their lives, before a minute’s silence was held.