Creeslough explosion: Hugh Kelly mourners told 'nobody did it like Hughie'

The funeral of Hugh Kelly is taking place at St Michael's Church in Creeslough

Mourners at the funeral for the oldest victim of last Friday's explosion in Creeslough have been told that "nobody did it like Hughie".

Hugh Kelly, 59, was one of 10 people to die in the blast at the service station in the village.

He was a farmer from the Doe Point area who has been remembered for his craftsmanship and willingness to help.

Like many of the other victims, his funeral Mass was held at St Michael's Church in Creeslough.

Fr John Joe Duffy told mourners that "Hughie could always be relied upon for turning his hand to many a job".

"Whether it was replacing simply a skirting board or hanging a shelf or a picture he always gave it 100%, taking the time to get right," he added.

Hugh Kelly will buried following a funeral at St Michael's Church in Creeslough

He was buried at Doe Cemetery, just a few kilometres from the village, following the service.

The funerals of seven of those who died in the huge explosion have already taken place - the victims included a five-year-old girl and her father, a woman and her 13-year-old son and two teenagers.

The blast ripped through the Applegreen service station just after 15:20 last Friday in an incident that is being treated by police as a "tragic accident".

A minute's silence was held on Friday close to the scene of the explosion

A vigil was held in Creeslough on Friday close to the scene of the explosion.

A minute's silence was held to coincide with the time of the explosion exactly a week before.

Prayers were then said at the scene.

Prayers were also said at the scene

'He always gave 100%'

Growing up as the youngest of five children, Mr Kelly was described by Fr Duffy as something of a "dare devil" for riding a bike on Doe Castle's high walls.

Fr Duffy said Mr Kelly had been diagnosed with cancer in recent years and at a check-up in Galway three weeks ago he found out it had gone into remission.

"That was such happy and good news," the parish priest said.

'Hard to believe in anything after this'

By Grainne Connolly, BBC News NI in Creeslough

It's another hard day for the people in the village, with crowds gathering outside St Michael's Church once again.

This time for the funeral of Hugh Kelly.

There's a mainly older crowd here today compared to some of the other funerals this week.

People lined the Main Street for a man well known within farming circles in this part of Donegal.

His partner Linda travelled in the hearse, while her daughter Mary and Hugh's nieces carried his coffin both on the way into and out of St Michael's.

Outside the church during Mass, people smiled or uttered soft, fond chuckles, as Fr Duffy spoke of Hugh's hardworking nature or being a bit of a "daredevil" when he was younger.

But when they reflected on how the community has been so deeply affected by the tragedy, one woman among the congregation held her head in her hands, with a look of despair.

One woman told BBC News NI she was waiting for the Mass to start, not knowing what to do with herself.

"It's like a dream," she said.

"It makes it hard to believe in anything after all this.

"Funny, I looked from my house this morning and there was a rainbow over the petrol station (where the explosion happened) - I'm not sure what that means."

Fr Duffy said Mr Kelly had built a wall outside of St Michael's Church where he left his initials.

He also turned his craftsmanship to making gifts for his family members. One included a jewellery box which was presented as an item of importance to him during the service.

'A very talented man'

Fr Duffy said this was "representing his ability to turn his hand to so many things".

"That attention he had for detail, that sharp eye and the many things he fixed," he added.

The congregation were told of Mr Kelly's time in England: "There is a picture of him with a colourful exotic bird; I think it is a parrot as far as I know. It stands out of course in the memory of the family - something that he posted home with a letter.

"He mustn't have thought Doe Point was exotic enough."

Members of the Creeslough community gathered to remember a "very talented man"

Alistair Moore was a neighbour of Mr Kelly and said that he was a great person to be around.

"He was a local farmer, he did building [work] and was a very talented man.

"He will be sorely missed, he was a character, was very funny and was just very witty.

"You know really just the life and soul of the party.

"We are just devastated - we still can't comprehend what has happened."

'There are no words'

Reflecting on when he arrived in Creeslough following the explosion, the Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme: "I don't think I've seen anything sadder."

The bishop described the moment he stood close to a couple identifying their loved one when they were taken out of the rubble as "incredibly heart-wrenching".

"There were no words. You're just there with the person. It's amazing how in every case the person who is in this awful place that you can't imagine are grateful that someone is there," he said.

Bishop McGuckian said there had been a "tsunami of prayer" from the community of Creeslough and beyond in the past week.

Yesterday the funerals of Leona Harper and Martina Martin were held.

On Tuesday, funeral services were held at St Michael's Church in the village for Jessica Gallagher, 24, and 49-year-old Martin McGill.

James O'Flaherty, Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan were buried on Wednesday.

The other two victims were Robert Garwe, 50, and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe. Their joint funeral service will take place on Saturday.