A memorial garden to honour the victims of the Creeslough tragedy is among the ideas being backed for the use of €144,000 remaining from the Irish Red Cross support scheme.
The proposal was discussed at a recent meeting held by the Red Cross to engage with Creeslough community members and those affected by the tragic explosion that occurred in October 2022.
In the aftermath of the fatal explosion, a total of €1,906,349 was donated to the Irish Red Cross. Families and individuals impacted by the tragedy have already received €1,762,203 of the funds, leaving €144,000 designated for community use.
At a meeting on Tuesday, three key areas of support were identified: trauma support, youth development, and commemorative projects.
Liam O’Dwyer, Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross, emphasised the importance of transparency and community input in determining how to allocate the remaining funds.
The idea of a memorial garden, although not discussed in detail, has already garnered support from some of the bereaved families, he said.
“It was put out there by individuals and community reps. We have heard too from some families of the bereaved that they also believe it to be a good idea,” O’Dwyer said.
“There are also possibilities around a commemorative trophy for sports in schools.
“It’s also important to note that, while the focus is obviously on Creeslough, people in Letterkenny were significantly impacted and lost people as well.”
The discussion also surrounded how trauma support and youth development would be provided in association with community groups, such as schools, GAA clubs, Donegal Youth Service, Foróige and the HSE. “We don’t want to overlap nor do we want to find our funds displacing other funds,” O’Dwyer said.
O’Dwyer stressed that the three core areas are not exclusive, and that the Irish Red Cross is committed to working with the entire community and the families of the bereaved.
Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, the Irish Red Cross wrote to each of the families of the bereaved independently and offered private consultations if they wished. “We value their input in all of this,” O’Dwyer said.
An initial paper outlining the proposed uses of the remaining funds is being prepared for distribution to the bereaved families. Following further engagement with community groups and a subsequent community meeting in September, there are plans for the terms of reference for the expenditure to be published online, allowing groups to apply to utilise the funds.
The meeting also mentioned the possibility of forming an advisory committee comprising local residents.
O’Dwyer said: “From a Red Cross perspective, we are not the experts. It’s the local people who are experts in their own area, they know what they need. This is about the community identifying where it believes the money would be best spent.”
