A year on since the explosion in Creeslough, people in the community still have “so many questions and very little answers”, footballer Amber Barrett has said. 

Ten people - including three children - died on that fateful day and the cause of the explosion has yet to be established. 

Gardaí have actioned over 1,350 lines of enquiry and over 900 statements have been taken - but they have yet to share any of their conclusions publicly. 

Speaking to The Pat Kenny Show, Ms Barrett, who grew up nearby and has family in Creeslough, said locals are desperate to find out what happened. 

“People are left with so many questions and very little answers,” she said. 

“I think until anything has been properly investigated and they have an answer to those questions… there [will] be a lot of confusion about what happened and how it happened on that day. 

“I think there’s still a numbness and I think that’s going to be something that will take a lot of time to mend. 

“But I also think that hopefully over the next few years, having the results of an enquiry would also provide a little bit of comfort to those who lost people on that day.” 

'Hard to believe'

Ms Barrett said she can remember “so vividly” that day and finds it “hard to believe” it has already been a year since the tragedy. 

“For me, personally, it’s been a very mixed year but when it comes to an anniversary like this, you just have to reflect so much on what happened this time last year,” she said. 

This year, Ms Barrett’s goal against Scotland in the Qualifying Play-Off sent Ireland to the Women’s World Cup for the first time in history. 

All the training meant she had little time to get back to Donegal - but she hopes to visit Creeslough this Christmas. 

“I’ve been [back] to it once since the event over last Christmas,” she said. 

“Other than that there, it’s been hard to get back; a lot of the World Cup preparation made it difficult to get home but I think... I will be spending my whole time at Christmas down with my uncle again.” 

At 3pm tomorrow, a ceremony of commemoration will be held in Creeslough and a vigil mass will take place later that evening.

You can listen back here:

Main image: Mourners at St. Mary’s Church in Derrybeg for James O'Flaherty’s funeral. Image: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews