TWO men were arrested today in connection with the Creeslough tragedy which claimed the lives of ten people in October 2022.
The pair, who are in their 50s, were still being quizzed by detectives in separate Donegal Garda stations.
The arrests came just hours after a plan was unveiled in a bid to breathe new life into the village following a huge explosion at the local Applegreen service station on October 7, 2022.
Gardai said the two men had been arrested for "alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997".
They can be held for a maximum period of 24 hours after their arrests on Friday morning.
The arrests sent shockwaves through the local village, which is still battling to come to terms with the loss of so many local lives just a year and a half ago.
The victims ranged in age from five to 59.
James O’Flaherty, Leona Harper, Martin McGill, Hugh Kelly, Jessica Gallagher, Martina Martin, Catherine O’Donnell and her son James Monaghan, Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe all lost their lives.
A garda spokesman said: "The investigation into the fatal explosion at a building complex in Creeslough, Co Donegal continues, co-ordinated from Milford Garda station, where an Incident Room is established under the direction of a Garda Senior Investigating Officer.
"The investigation continues to be led by local Gardaí in Donegal Division, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and other agencies, including the Health & Safety Authority & the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities.
"This morning investigating Gardaí have arrested two males aged in their 50s for alleged offences contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
"Both men are currently detained under the provisions of section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at separate Garda stations in County Donegal."
REGENERATION PLAN
The arrests came just hours after the regeneration plan for the village was unveiled on Thursday evening.
The centrepiece of the plan is a new community centre or hub which will also include extensive sporting facilities.
The hub will also contain private rooms for continued counselling of those still struggling with the impact of the tragedy but also rooms in which to hold local events as the community recovers.
Local parish priest Fr John John Duffy, who provided so much comfort to the devastated village in the days, weeks and months after the tragedy, was also present.
Fr Duffy spoke about how Creeslough continues to be on a journey of healing which may take generations to complete.
But he said he hoped the new community hub will be a “beating heart” for the community in those trying times ahead.
Liam Ward, Director of Services with Donegal County Council, said the land for the project was already available.
He said he hoped the plan will allow people to come together on their continued journey of renewal.
Exact overall costings for the project were not specified but planning permission for the regeneration plan has already been granted.
TEARS FLOW
Grieving relatives and devastated locals marked the first anniversary of the horror blast last October.
The sound of a bell tolling ten times marked the loss of those ten precious lives.
Local priest Fr Duffy said: "It is a day of sadness, of acute sadness but a day of personal reflection, a day of fond memories of loved ones who were lost in this tragedy.
"The last year has been a difficult journey, a journey of mourning, a journey of healing.
"A journey of learning to cope, particularly for those from whom this tragedy took ten beautiful souls and for those also who were injured in body and for all of us who were injured in mind.
"The journey of recovery will continue for all of us for a long time to come.
"Unlike most journeys we set out on in life, this journey of Creeslough we know neither the length nor the duration of the road ahead. But we know that we will travel it together, each of us together, linked together."
Detectives investigating the cause of the explosion travelled to both England and Spain to interview people.
A Garda source said: "This is without doubt one of the most widespread Garda investigations ever conducted and it has to be.
"Ten people lost their lives and we need to find a definitive answer to what caused this blast."
The remnants of the blast site were torn down in late October 2022, with a specialist team overseeing the scene being "made safe".
A garda spokesperson said at the time: "The scene of the explosion is currently undergoing a make-safe process and experts from a number of agencies stand ready to assist with the Garda investigation into the cause of the blast at Creeslough.
"The scene investigation is being co-ordinated by Garda National Technical Bureau crime scene managers who are highly experienced post-blast investigation experts.
"Experts from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and the Health and Safety Authority are also providing valuable assistance and expert guidance on site, while independent specialists in gas and oil installation failures/explosions have also been brought in to assist.
"An Garda Síochána retains primacy of the scene with a crime scene manager from the Garda National Technical Bureau overseeing all forensic and expert activities on site."
