The first funeral for the victims of the Applegreen service station ex…

The first funeral for the victims of the Applegreen service station explosion in Ireland was today held in Co Donegal village where the blast happened, with the priest offering solemn words to her family.
Mass for 24-year-old fashion designer Jessica Gallagher was held at St Michael's Church, where Father John Joe Duffy consoled her bereaved relatives, saying: 'We cannot feel your pain, but we will walk with you in that pain.'
Ms Gallagher, who had been due to start a new job on Monday, was one of ten people, aged from five to 59, killed in the tragedy in the village of Creeslough on Friday.
The first funeral for the victims of the service station explosion in Ireland is under way in the Co Donegal village where the blast happened.

Pictured: Mourners gather to attend the funeral of Jessica Gallagher, aged 24 at St. Michael's Church Cresslough, on October 11
Pictured: Mass for 24-year-old fashion designer Jessica Gallagher is taking place at St Michael's Church on Tuesday
The family of Jessica Gallagher, 24, watch as her coffin leaves St Michael's Church, Creeslough, after her funeral mass
The hearse carrying Jessica Gallagher, 24, arrives at St Michael's Church, Creeslough, for her funeral mass.

Jessica died following an explosion at Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday. Picture date: Tuesday October 11, 2022
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Jessica Gallagher had recently returned to her home town of Creeslough from Paris.

It is understood the 24-year-old was studying design in the French capital, but had recently moved home
The funeral of Martin McGill, 49, who was originally from Scotland, will also be held at St Michael's Church later on Tuesday.
Ireland's police force, An Garda Siochana, continues to investigate the cause of the blast in a building complex that included the service station and convenience store and residential apartments.
It is being treated as a 'tragic accident'.

A gas leak is one theory, it is believed.
Father John Joe Duffy, who will preside at many of the Creeslough funerals, said he was struggling to find words to encapsulate the enormity of the tragedy.
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Ahead of the first mass on Tuesday, for Ms Gallagher, Fr Duffy told reporters: 'It's nothing we could ever have imagined, nor could any community have imagined.
'There are no words.
I'm trying to find words this morning. I'm one of the locals here, I am one of the people, I am ordinary, I may wear this collar but I'm ordinary, I'm struggling to find words. Maybe words will find me this morning.
'I went there to reflect at the scene, I saw a little photograph that somebody had placed among the flowers of a dog who was sitting on stones looking out from a doorway on to a brighter sky. 
'So, all that we can pray for is that, through the help of everyone, that the families will manage to get through this and I am worried for people.'
Priest Fr John Joe Duffy sprinkles holy water on the coffin of Jessica Gallagher as it is carried into St Michael's Church
The coffin of Jessica Gallaghe is carried into St Michael's Church, Creeslough, for her funeral mass
The hearse carrying Jessica Gallagher arrives at St Michael's Church, Creeslough, for her funeral mass.

Floral arrangements are seen through the window, including one spelling her name
The other eight victims were 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, who were buying a birthday cake; 48-year-old James O'Flaherty; 14-year-old Leona Harper; 39-year-old Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; 59-year-old Hugh Kelly; and 49-year-old Martina Martin.
Mr O'Flaherty's funeral will be in St Mary's Church in Derrybeg on Wednesday morning. A joint service will be held for Ms O'Donnell and her son James at St Michael's in Creeslough on Wednesday afternoon.
A funeral for Ms Harper is to take place at St Mary's Church, Ramelton on Thursday. Mrs Martin, a mother of four, will also be laid to rest on Thursday with a service at St Michael's Church, Creeslough. 
At the outset of the funeral, Fr John Joe Duffy expressed 'sincere and heartfelt sympathies' to Jessica Gallagher's family. 'We would love to be able to put in our hands to your hearts and take away that grief and that pain that you are suffering this morning,' he said.
'But to even think of that would not be a sensible thing to do.

Because in that void, in that grief, there you hold in your hearts Jessica.'
Fr Duffy described Jessica as a 'jewel' of her family.
Mourners leave St.

Michael's Church after attending the funeral of Jessica Gallagher, aged 24, in Creeslough, on October 11
The hearse carrying Jessica Gallagher, 24, arrives at St Michael's Church, Creeslough, for her funeral mass
Priest Fr John Joe Duffy speaks to the media before the funeral mass for Jessica Gallagher.

At the outset of the funeral, Fr John Joe Duffy expressed 'sincere and heartfelt sympathies' to Jessica Gallagher's family. 'We would love to be able to put in our hands to your hearts and take away that grief and that pain that you are suffering this morning,' he said
Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O'Neill arrives at St Michael's Church, Creeslough, for the funeral mass of Jessica Gallagher
'While we cannot take that pain away for you, we want to walk with you,' he said.
'We cannot feel your pain but we will walk with you in that pain because to even say that we feel that pain would not be right or not be fair to you, but we walk in that pain.
'The greater someone is loved, the greater that pain and that pain is so immense, and Jessica will forever remain in your heart, but she will also be with you, she will remain with you.'
In his homily, Father John Joe Duffy said Jessica Gallagher 'radiated a warm and positive feeling' to all who knew her well. The priest said she left ripples of 'love, affection, kindness and warmth' wherever she went.
'We are experiencing, you the family, طراحی وبسایت حرفه ای در مشهد are experiencing that most difficult challenge of all - the pain and hardship of having to say goodbye to Jessica today,' he said.
'That pain and hardship that other families are experiencing and I know that other families have been with you that have lost a loved one and those who have a loved one in hospital at this time.
'That pain has been felt in our parish and in our neighbouring parishes when the pathway in which Jessica and others were travelling through life was so abruptly ended by this tragic accident.
'I wish I as a priest could explain that more fully in a way that words could explain it, but we do not have words to explain it, for words would make no sense or couldn't give it sense.
'I am part of you, part of this community, and it is together that we will make the journey and travel that journey going forward, supporting each other as so many people have been doing.

Our entire community is hurting. Our hearts are heavy, but our spirits are strong.'
Pictured: The scene of devastation at the petrol station in Creeslough is shown in this aerial photograph
Emergency services attend the scene of the Applegreen service station explosion on October 8, 2022 in Creeslough
Emergency services attend the scene of a explosion, resulting in multiple deaths, at a service station in the village of Creeslough, in County Donegal, Ireland, October 8, 2022
Father John Joe Duffy told mourners that Jessica Gallagher's grieving father Anthony had told him of his pride in how the community in Creeslough had responded to the tragedy.
'That sums up the type of community that we are and it is that community and our faith that will help us in the pathway of life ahead,' he said.
The cleric added: 'We are heartened this morning in our sadness of that support, that rallying of support from the very first moment of this terrible accident, that help that came to us from right across this island of Ireland, that help that joined in so greatly between the services from Northern Ireland and our own services and our locals all working together hand in hand.'