Soccer star James McClean has launched a new clothing line which pays tribute to those killed in the Buncrana Pier tragedy.
Five members of the Daniels/McGrotty family died when their SUV sank after sliding off a slipway in Buncrana last March.
The line of sportswear is named ThanksJosh after Josh Daniels, a Derry City player who lost his mother, sister, brother-in-law and two nephews in the tragedy.
The three hearts in the logo were the message sent to Daniels by his teammate Jordan Allen every morning after the tragedy.
Donegal man Davitt Walsh bravely dived into the icy waters and managed to save baby Riognach Anne as her father Sean McGrotty selflessly handed the toddler out to the Kerrykeel man who managed to swim to the shore.
Allen co-owns the brand with McClean, who recently expressed his desire to finish his playing career with Derry City.
“We decided to launch our first store in Derry because it’s a place that means everything to me,” McClean told the Irish News.
The pier at Buncrana where five people lost their lives in March.
“It’s where I’m from, it’s where I grew up. I have strong football connections here and my family are here.
“It is a city that means so much to my heart and I thought, why not start off at home first, hopefully it will take off here and we can expand elsewhere. I think it’s important to starts off where you’re from.
“We are going to employ people here. We are just starting off and have friends and family helping out. As the shop takes off we will hopefully employ more people.
“We will be thinking about people leaving school and looking for their first job. If we can help in that sense, then it will be a win win situation. Derry has been good to me and if I can give back that’s what I want to do.”
For every purchase over £30, £5 will be donated to help the homeless in Derry this Christmas.
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