Creeslough: Priest sought counselling and encourages others to cope with' raw grief'
The cleric who officiated at multiple heartbreaking services after the tragedy in the Co Donegal village has revealed he has sought counselling to come to terms with the deaths of 10 people.
Fr John Joe Duffy has told BBC News NI that the numbness and shock of the Creeslough tragedy has started to ease as the Co Donegal village comes to terms with their loss.
Four men, three women, two teenagers and a five-year-old girl were killed in the explosion on October 7.
"I found help myself from counselling and it's something I encourage," Fr Duffy said.
Earlier this week, on Monday, the first of several month's mind Masses were held.
A remembrance service for 49-year-old victim Martina Martin was held on Monday evening at Creeslough's St Michael's Church. This will be the first of many in that church.
Later this week similar masses will be held for Catherine O’Donnell and her son James Monaghan.
A month’s mind Mass foe Jessica Gallagher will be held on Saturday, also in St Michael's Church.
"Numbness and shock is beginning to ease and it's becoming all the more apparent the reality of what we have faced and are facing," Fr Duffy told the BBC.
"It's very important to have professional counselling, but also there is other types of counselling as well."
The cleric said many people in the village have taken great comfort from the thousands of supportive messages they have received from the island of Ireland and across the world.
"Thank you very much, thank you for the messages that have kept us going and we very much appreciate them all," he said.
An Garda Síochána have opened more than 500 lines of inquiry into the explosion.
Fr Duffy said everyone is doing their best to move the investigation into the explosion forward and said he prays that it will give answers.
"We all hope there will be a conclusion to the investigation that may give some answers as to how or why this happened.
"If there is something that can be learned from that to prevent anything like this ever happening again in this community or any other community that is the great desire."
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