At 3.17pm on Monday afternoon, dozens of people congregated outside the Applegreen Filling Station and observed a minutes silence to mark the exact time the explosion occurred two years ago.
Leona Harper, 14, Robert Garwe, 50, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, five, Jessica Gallagher, 24, and James O'Flaherty, 48, Martina Martin, 49, Hugh Kelly, 59, Catherine O'Donnell, 39, her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, and Martin McGill, 49, were the ten victims of the explosion at the service station on October 7, 2022.
Fr John Joe Duffy, Curate at St Michael’s Church, Creeslough led a short service with a minutes silence and prayers at 3.17pm in front of the explosion site.
He also led a prayer service on Monday evening in the Church.
Fr Duffy addressed the families of the victims, the injured, those who lost their homes and those impacted by the tragedy as he had done on many times since the explosion two years ago.
He spoke of his personal experience and how is now seeking counselling to help him deal with the aftermath of the tragedy and he encouraged anyone who thought they could benefit to also seek support.
“I encourage you to do as I have done and seek help because people are now, in some cases, only able to speak about their feelings around the tragedy.
"I, myself, went through the GP service for counselling and I have a very good counsellor.
"For a good three quarters of a year, I did not go to her because I did not feel the need, but in the last couple of months again, I have entered into counselling with a counsellor through the GP service,” said Fr Duffy.In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Donegal priest was catapulted into the media spotlight as a spokesman for the grieving community and he was the chief celebrant at many of the victims’ funerals.
He told the congregation that he found it helpful to have someone to talk too."You do not have to bare your soul or anything like that but it is good to have people to talk too.
"I encourage you to talk.
"I encourage you, the families, and all who responded, to be gentle with yourselves on the journey and not to expect a whole lot at any given time – be gentle and be caring with yourselves.
“Let us all be caring with each other on this journey also,” said Fr Duffy.
Fr Duffy continued by encouraging anyone who was impacted by the tragedy to seek help and support.
"There will be easy days at times or less difficult days, but there will also be difficult times and difficult days ahead for you the families and for all who responded to that tragedy.
"To all who were there on that night and the days after, there will be challenges and there will be difficulties and many of those difficulties and challenges will arise from time to time.
“Those emotional challenges, those challenges of trauma and grief that the families experience on a daily basis and those who were injured, will also arise for you who responded and you who has been responding since,” said Fr Duffy.
A number of services are available for those affected by the Creeslough explosion and people are encouraged to avail of the services.
Counselling is available from CIPC, The Pastoral Centre, the HSE, Donegal Parent and Family Support Services and Donegal Mental Health Services.