A Reminder From a Tiny Village in Donegal

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five of them were wise.

On Friday, October 7, a petrol station in Creeslough, Donegal suddenly exploded, destroying the station, the grocery shop inside, and portions of an apartment building behind. Ten people immediately perished, and several more were critically wounded. In a town of 400 people, every person knew or was related to those who were killed.

Emergency responders quickly came from nearby Northern Ireland to provide the expertise long developed through the Troubles there. They knew how to strategically dig out after a bomb explosion so that those who were still alive could be saved. Though there is every indication that this was caused by an accidental gas leak, the remaining wreckage did indeed look like a war zone. In these remote and lovely Donegal mountains, nothing like this had ever happened.

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

St Michael’s Catholic Church, just up the road, was the focus of gathering throughout the week, as funeral after funeral was held. Father John Joe Duffy provided a strong shoulder for all mourners. He kept the church open all through the night for prayer and solace; he kept his rectory door open continuously to provide comfort to the shocked townspeople.

The nearby Capuchin Friary, where villagers work and frequently visit, sent priests to assist. With each funeral, mourners overflowed from the church and clogged the street outside. They sought out their pastor and their friars to find comfort and to seek a reason for this terrible occurrence.

Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, “Behold the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise ones replied, “No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.”

The Creeslough villagers compared their October 7th day with one another.

Some had just stopped at that shop the hour before.

Others had planned to go get petrol but decided to wait until evening.

One heard that the butcher in the shop had just stepped away to carry some trash to the far side of the property when the explosion occurred, and he was slightly injured. If he had been behind the counter, he would have been killed.

One of the victims had just stopped in briefly to pick up a cake for her mother’s birthday.

A father had picked up his young daughter from school and stopped at the shop to get some crisps. They were found together with his arms wrapped around her. They would be buried together.

While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!” But he said in reply, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.” Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

It could have been anyone in the village, they kept remarking.

It could have been any one of us.

During one of the funeral homilies, Fr. Duffy said:

Life is a great journey, one which we travel on our own in our own way. We journey through life on a path we neither design nor control. We can shape the path with our decisions and choices, but the final direction of life is beyond our control.

The writer was at a personal retreat at Ards Friary during this time and talked with many of the villagers who worked and lived there.

If you wish to help those in Creeslough, there is a Go Fund Me that has been established by a resident and supported by the village.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/devastating-explosion-in-creeslough-co-donegal.

If you wish to send a letter of support to the parishioners of St. Michael’s Church and pastor Fr. John Joe Duffy, the address is St. Michael’s Church, Creeslough, Co. Donegal, Ireland. There is no e-mail.