Northern Ireland

Last minute reprieve for Creeslough tragedy counselling service

The first anniversary of the Creeslough disaster will be marked by a commemoration service at the site on Saturday.
The Raphoe diocesan pastoral counselling service was one of the organisations which helped survivors of the Creeslough tragedy
By Seamus McKinney

A Co Donegal youth counselling service which helped survivors of the Creeslough explosion has won a reprieve.

Raphoe diocesan pastoral services announced that it would cease operations this month because it was unable to secure funding to continue.

Donegal’s only child and adolescent counselling service, it played a huge part in helping survivors of the October 2022 Creeslough tragedy. Seven adults, two teenagers and a five-year-old girl were killed in a suspected gas explosion.

It was announced on Friday that interim funding would be provided by the Republic’s Tusla (Child and Family Agency) and Health Service Executive.

Donna and Hugh Harper's daughter, Leona (14) died in the tragedy. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Director of counselling, Liam Cannon thanked Donna Harper (pictured with her husband, Hugh) for her appeal to save the counselling service. Mr and Mrs Harper's daughter, Leona was killed in the Creeslough tragedy

A spokesman said the funding would finance the creation of a full time director of counselling and a counselling co-ordinator. Outgoing director of counselling, Liam Cannon paid tribute to all who lobbied for support.

He singled out Donna Harper, whose daughter Leona was among those killed, “for her impassioned plea to the government to save the service, and to the many other families of service users who lobbied hard for this funding”.

A not-for profit service, the Raphoe pastoral group involves 26 part-time counsellors working across Donegal.