Mattie McGrath spoke about the aftermath of the Chrysler blast, praising first responders, clergy and the local community for their immediate actions. He urged ongoing support for bereaved families, highlighted the need for counselling, and thanked public representatives who visited the area.
Immediate praise for responders
He saluted passers-by, neighbours, first responders, garage and corner, ambulance crews, the fire brigade, council workers and hospital staff from both north and south for their assistance in Chrysler. He described the response as spontaneous and widespread, noting that the usual Mehell arrangements were different on this occasion.
Role of clergy and the parish church
He said local parish priest Fr. John Duffey became a focus for grief, officiating at six of the eight funerals for the ten victims, and described him as a well respected pillar of the close-knit Chrysler community. He commended clergy of all denominations and representatives from north and south for the comfort they provided to bereaved families.
Calls for counselling and support
He highlighted the emotional toll on Bridey Island County Donegal, quoting Fr. John Joe Duffey that the community remained shocked and numb. He welcomed that Duffey and others sought counselling, calling that step brave and necessary, and stressed that supports are needed even for proud communities that might say they do not need help.
Names and remembrance
He read the names of those who died and offered prayers and support for their families, naming James O'Flaherty, Jessica Gallagher, Martina Martin, Leona Harper, Sianna Flanagan, Gary and her father Robert Gary, Hughie Kelly, Catherine O'Connor O'Connor and her son James O'Connor, and James Monaghan. He described the loss as life-changing for the entire community and thanked the Taoiseach, the minister and other members who were physically present to represent the state.
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There is no doubt about it, everybody is still really trying to come to terms with what happened in Chrysler on that fateful evening and we have to salute each and every one of the people that were in the vicinity of the shop, people passers-by, neighbours, first responders, garage and corner, ambulance crews and indeed fire brigade. and council workers and everybody in any way that helped hospital staffs from both north and south and everybody who tried to help. The real sense of the Mehell, it was normally organised in Mehell but it was spontaneous in this occasion in Chrysler. What would we expect? The words of the late, famous Bridey Gallagher, the homes of Donegal, Nadine of Donegal and Chrysler. Local parish priest Fr. John Duffey was a source of great comfort and strength to the bereaved families and the entire local community as his church became a focus for everyone's grief with a close-knit Chrysler community. Fr. John Duffey, who officiated at six of the eight funerals for the ten victims, became one of the most familiar representatives of the shattered community. From our observations, it is very easy to see that he is very well respected and well liked and pillar in his local community. I want to thank you minister as well and your colleagues beside me, Sinn Féin, representatives of the Senate, Deputy McHugh and Deputy Pingel. For all of you and local councils and everybody who tried in any way to try and help lessen the burden and share the grief because it was a true grief. As I said, a month last Friday, a month on from the devastating blast, the impact on the quiet community of Bridey Island County Donegal is still so real, so numb, so raw. I want to quote again, local parish priest from John Joe Duffey, the weekend edition of the Irish Examiner News, said that it is still very sad and the whole community, everybody is just shocked and numb, he quote. There was the devastating impact of this tragedy in the families and loved ones and the weakly effect is life-changing and heartbreaking indeed. It is fair to restate that the impact of this life-changing in so many ways for the entire community increased under, I was not going to go. And it's so important then to have support and to hear him again on radio, I think it was yesterday that he was one of the first, or one of the first signed up, went in for counselling. Goodness knows we need it, and we're all proud people, we might all say we don't need any support like that, but we all do. And he has such brave courage and dignity in going and doing that. And I honestly would compliment him and his fellow clergy of all denominations, and indeed from north and south, and to thank the government and fairness, Taoiseach and other members went up and did their best. There's not a lot many could do, but to be there physically present representing this realtors on shore and this house and this people of this country was very well accepted by the people. And all I can say is that my names to the list of the people who passed away, James O'Flaherty, Jessica Gallagher, Martina Martin, Leona Harper, Sianna Flanagan, Gary and her father Robert Gary, I don't know if the person is right in that, Hughie Kelly, Catherine O'Connor O'Connor, and of course her son James O'Connor, James Monaghan, and our prayers and supports will be with you. And I think you all know because he got an invitation big on that, I suppose, and it's a modern amaraq, a friend of the Holy Souls. And it is Dave, go to the end of the school, go to the end of the school. Go to the end of the school. Thank you.
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