More than €250,000 has been raised on GoFundMe for the families affected by the tragic explosion in Donegal.
Gerry McFadden, who is originally from Creeslough but lives in Australia, decided to start a fundraiser after hearing about the Applegreen petrol station explosion in his home town, in which 10 people lost their lives. The page was launched on Saturday and all funds gathered will go directly towards the families of those who perished or were injured in the incident.
Gerry wrote that he was “completely overwhelmed” by the generosity shown towards his fundraiser and thanked donors in an update on the page today. He had previously set a target of €20,000 to help the community following the ordeal.
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Gerry stated: “Just an update to let you know we have now reached €251,077 and it’s increasing all the time. I will liaise will the Creeslough Community Association and discuss the needs of the community as we move through this awful time together.”
He added: “We are completely overwhelmed by the response and the generosity of the people around the world. Please continue to share.”
The death toll following the incident on Friday stands at 10, while one person remains critically injured in St James Hospital in Dublin. The names and ages of the deceased were released on Sunday, including two 14-year-olds and a five-year-old chid.
The explosion occurred on Friday afternoon. Some of the people at the scene had gone into the garage to use the ATM, while others were purchasing sweets.
The funeral details for one of the victims, James O’ Flaherty, has been announced. His funeral service will be held on Wednesday morning in St Mary’s Church Derrybeg following a repose at his family home.
The campaign is one of several charitable initiatives that is assisting those impacted by the tragedy. An Post have also confirmed they will accept donations for the Creeslough Community Support Fund at its 920 post offices nationwide.
You can donate to the GoFundMe page here.
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