Book of condolence for victims of Cresslough tragedy to open in Navan

Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council Cllr Nick Killian will open a Book of Condolence for the victims of the Creeslough tragedy in Buvinda House, Navan, at 4.30pm today.

Cllr Killian said: “As Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives in the Creeslough tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are also with those who are recovering and the entire community of Creeslough.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the members of the emergency services who responded so quickly and professionally.

"The country is numbed by the sense of shock and utter devastation; there are no words for the sadness and grief we all feel. Together we stand in solidarity with the people of Creeslough and Donegal at this very difficult time”.

A book of condolence will be open from 4.30pm on Monday afternoon at Buvinda House and online at meath.ie, to allow the people of Meath to pay tribute to the ten people who died in the Creeslough tragedy."

The devastating tragedy which claimed the lives of ten people in the Donegal village of Cresslough on Friday afternoon rocked the nation to its core and plunged the closeknit community into unimaginable grief.

The Cresslough community is now preparing for the ten funerals of the victims of the tragedy who ranged in age from just five years of age to 59.

The ten victims have been named by gardaí as Catherine O'Donnell, 39, and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; Robert Garwe, 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe; 14-year-old Leona Harper; Jessica Gallagher, 24; James O'Flaherty, 48; Martin McGill, 49; Martina Martin, 49, and 59-year-old Hugh Kelly.

The first victim to be laid to rest will be 24-year-old fashion designer Jessica Gallagher, whose Funeral Mass takes place in St Michael's Church, Cresslough, at 11am tomorrow. Later that day, the Funeral Mass of Martin McGill (49) takes place in the same church at 2pm. The Funeral Mass of James O'Flaherty (48), originally from Sydney, takes place on Wednesday at 11am in St Mary's Church, Derrybeg.

One of the victim's Martina Martin (49) , is understood to have links to Ardee, Co Louth.

Pope Francis has expressed his condolences to the people of Cresslough in a statement to the Bishop of Raphoe. "His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the loss of life and destruction caused by the explosion in Creeslough and he expresses his spiritual closeness to all those suffering in the aftermath of this tragedy.

"While entrusting the deceased to the merciful love of almighty god, His Holiness implores the divine blessings of consolation and healing upon the injured, the displaced and the families coping with pain of loss.

"As a pledge of strength and peace in the lord, the Holy Father sends his blessing to all the people of Ireland."

The investigation into the cause of the explosion is being coordinated from an incident room at Milford Garda Station.

Technical examinations are expected to continue at the scene today, with Gardaí saying the investigation to determine the cause of the explosion will take some time. While the cause is not yet know, indications are that the explosion was a tragic accident.