Creeslough explosion: Creeslough father and child had 'a beautiful love'

A begetter and girl who died successful the Creeslough detonation successful County Donegal shared a "beautiful love", their ceremonial Mass has been told.

Robert Garwe and Shauna Flanagan Garwe, the youngest of the 10 victims, were recovered successful each other's arms successful the rubble of the work station, their household said.

A clergyman said Shauna, 5, "made a lasting content connected each she met".

Mr Garwe, 50, was arrogant of his children and his homeland, Zimbabwe, helium added.

The Irish President Michael D Higgins joined mourners for Saturday's work astatine St Michael's Church successful the village, wherever respective of the funerals person taken place.

Irish constabulary said the detonation connected 7 October appeared to person been a tragic accident.

As their coffins laic beside each different astatine the beforehand of the church, Fr John Joe Duffy said the begetter and girl had besides been "side-by-side successful the shop" erstwhile the detonation happened.

"Her begetter I'm definite successful that divided 2nd conscionable wanting to assistance and support his beauteous girl truthful precise much," helium said.

"We commune that they are side-by-side successful heaven."

The clergyman said helium had known Mr Garwe and his family.

Shauna was "a beauteous small girl", helium said, who loved creation and animals.

She had conscionable started arsenic a pupil astatine adjacent Scoil Mhuire weeks earlier her decease and was a "radiant beacon of light, of happiness and joy" to each who knew her.

Robert, known successful the colony arsenic Bob, had taken his girl to the store to bargain a day barroom and treats erstwhile the detonation happened.

Throughout the week, 8 different funerals person been held, either successful the tiny colony itself oregon the surrounding areas.

By Grainne Connolly, BBC News NI successful Creeslough

Two hearses pulled up extracurricular St Michael's Church, 1 with a small wicker coffin inside.

Young children, immoderate successful plain covering and immoderate successful their Scoil Mhuire uniforms, were among the mourners with their parents.

Inside the church, pictures of Shauna and her begetter with household sat connected their coffins.

Ten reddish candles besides stay lit connected the altar for the victims of past week's explosion.

In life, Robert and Shauna were ever seen successful the colony together.

In death, their household said they were recovered successful each other's arms successful the rubble.

Family from adjacent and acold person made the travel to Creeslough to wage their respects.

A defender of honour took spot extracurricular Scoil Mhuire earlier the service. Five-year-old Shauna had lone started schoolhouse determination this year.

During the Mass, items idiosyncratic to begetter and girl were brought to the altar; a chapeau that Bob ever wore, a unicorn teddy that Shauna loved and her scooter.

Outside the church, parents hugged their children that spot tighter arsenic Fr Duffy spoke astir Shauna. Some of the children contiguous were her classmates.

Mourners smiled erstwhile they heard astir however Shauna loved animals; however she utilized to question successful astatine the teachers astatine Scoil Mhuire arsenic she passed by connected her scooter oregon the pridefulness that she took successful sharing her daddy's drawings.

There was a small laughter excessively arsenic Fr Duffy told the congregation that Shauna utilized to bring a reflector to schoolhouse successful her pencil lawsuit truthful that she ever looked her champion - "A trait she got from Dublin and Zimbabwe," helium said.

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

Gardaí are continuing to analyse the origin of the blast successful a gathering analyzable that included a work station, convenience store and apartments.

The store, which had a station office, was the main store serving the 400-strong village.