AN POST, Ireland's national postal service, is now accepting donations from the public to help the families and community affected by the Creeslough explosion which claimed the lives of ten people on Friday.
A Donegal man living in Australia who has ties to the Creeslough area has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the families of the deceased and those who were injured in the blast.
Gerard McFadden said he woke up in Brisbane to the news of the explosion, and that he "would like to raise as much funds as possible to help the families of the deceased and injured through these challenging times ahead."
The funds raised currently stand at €251,192, and McFadden will liaise with the Creeslough Community Association and discuss the needs of the community going forward.
Donations to that fundraiser can be made here.
From today, those in Ireland can make donations to a Creeslough Community Support Fund at every Post Office in the country.
The money raised will provide direct support through the Irish Red Cross to all those bereaved, injured, traumatised and made homeless.
Our deepest sympathies & condolences to everyone affected by the Cresslough tragedy. Donations to a Creeslough Community Support Fund can be made at every Post Office to provide direct support through the Irish Red Cross to all those bereaved, injured traumatised & made homeless pic.twitter.com/F9RH8hkWtK
— An Post (@Postvox) October 9, 2022
"The An Post board, management, and staff across Ireland send their deepest sympathies, thoughts, and prayers to all those who have lost loved ones in the Cresslough tragedy, to those who are injured, to the Postmistress and Post Office staff and all the Creeslough community," noted a spokesperson.
The identities of those killed in the explosion were announced on Sunday.
A fice-year-old girl named Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert Garwe (50) were among those who died.
The blast also claimed the lives of another parent and child — 39-year-old Catherine O'Donnell and her son James Monaghan, 13.
The others who lost their lives have been confirmed as Leona Harper, 14; Jessica Gallagher, 24; James O'Flaherty, 48; Martina Martin, 49; Martin McGill, 49; and Hugh Kelly, 59.
The funeral arrangements of Martin McGill have also been announced.
Technical examinations are expected to continue today in at the site of the explosion.
Gardaí say an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion will take some time.
Yesterday, numerous vigils were held across Co Donegal with communities showing their solidarity with those at the heart of this tragedy and this evening a candle lit vigil will be held at the Guild Hall in Derry, where a book of condolence will open this afternoon.
Further books of condolences are to open around the country in the coming days.
Pope Francis also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the community on Sunday.
See More: An Post, Creeslough, Donegal, GoFundMe, Pope Francis
