Families and Communities of Creeslough Tragedy are ‘Lost in a fog of Grief’

By PA Reporters

The families and communities impacted by the Creeslough explosion are “lost in a fog of grief” and painful sadness, the funeral of 14-year-old Leona Harper has been told.

The teenager, who had been in the service station to buy ice-cream, was one of the 10 people killed in the blast in Co Donegal.

Mourners at her funeral heard how her parents, Hugh and Donna, talked of their daughter as a “gem” that shone brightly.

Her funeral took place at St Mary’s Church in Ramelton, Co Donegal.

Earlier on Thursday, mother-of-four Martina Martin was also laid to rest, with Fr John Joe Duffy saying the shop worker had an “abundance of love”.

Their funerals marked the sixth and seventh victims of the Creeslough tragedy to be buried.

The funeral of Leona, who was a talented rugby player and sister to two older brothers, Anthony and Jamie, heard how her sudden death has left all those who knew and loved her “shell-shocked and grief-stricken”.

Father Michael Carney told the congregation: “Gems shine, gems sparkle and gems attract us.

“Leona shone brightly and beautifully throughout her short life, sparkled with energy and fun and attracted so many friends to her circle.”

Fr Carney described Leona as a “little lady with a big heart who lived a full life”.

“As with most 14-year-olds, there were four important anchors in her life: her family, her friends, her hobbies and her school,” he said.

“They were at once separate and all interconnected.

“Hugh and Donna talk of their daughter as their little miracle – and therein lies a story … when Anthony was born, Donna was told that there was no prospect of her conceiving another child. But seven years later something unexpected happened: Leona arrived, hence the little miracle.”

Sarah McLachlan’s song Angel was played as her coffin was led to the altar.

Students from Scoil Mhuire and Mulroy College in Milford, which Leona had attended, formed a guard of honour as her coffin was led into and out of the church.

Fr Carney said Leona’s interests and pursuits were “many, varied and indeed surprising”.

“She was into her music and dance and was developing an eye for hair and fashion,” the priest said.

“But there was so much more. What I really love to hear, she loved the outdoors. She fished, she hunted and she said to her dad, just not so long ago, ‘When are we going hunting again?’

“She loved the peace and serenity of Gartan lake. A love of animals developed into an appreciation for farming and agriculture – and a passion for tractors.

“She was beginning to figure in her rugby club as a gifted player. And like many girls, the exploits and success of Kelly Harrington and Katie Taylor had sparked an interest in boxing.

“And, I won’t hold this against her, Liverpool was her team.”

The teenager was also described as gentle and kind but was “no shrinking violet”.

The priest recalled how she was feisty and had a “lovely level”.

“She could speak her mind and speak for others in that gentle but insistent way that always gets the attention of the grown-ups,” Fr Carney added.

“She stood up for those who could not stand up for themselves. She had maturity beyond her years and a deeply caring way.”

Before her funeral Mass concluded there was a round of applause after Fr Carney, on behalf of Leona’s mother, thanked the digger driver for his work in the hours after the explosion to help find Leona’s body.

Members of Letterkenny Rugby Club gather at St Mary's Church in Ramelton, Co Donegal, for Leona Harper's funeral mass (Photo by PA)