Creeslough funeral: James O’Flaherty’s son, 12, describes father as a 'great man'
President Michael D. Higgins (right) arrives for the funeral mass of James O’Flaherty (Niall Carson/PA)
The son of one of the victims of last Friday's Donegal blast has urged people to be grateful for their families and for their lives.
Speaking at the end of James O’Flaherty's funeral, 12-year-old Hamish addressed the mourners, stating: "If I have learned anything it is that we should be grateful for our families because they won't be there forever.
"Be grateful for your life. It won't last forever."
Mourners applauded him as he was led back to his seat by his mother.
Mr O’Flaherty was remembered as a much-loved father and husband at the funeral for the Australian engineer. He was originally from Sydney but had been living in Dunfanaghy, just miles from Creeslough, with his wife and son. He was one of 10 people killed in the Creeslough explosion on Friday.
Two of the 10 victims — Jessica Gallagher and Martin McGill — were laid to rest after funeral masses in Creeslough on Tuesday.
Hamish was sitting in his father’s car in the service station forecourt at 3.20pm last Friday, looking out the passenger window.
The 12-year-old dropped something in the car and leaned forward to pick it up just as the explosion, which claimed the lives of 10 people, destroyed the service station and adjacent apartment block. His actions “saved him from a significant injury”, a neighbour who is also a doctor said.
Hamish told mourners that he wanted to say a few words about his father.
“He wore a jacket with a huge paint stain on the side of it everywhere. He managed this by leaning on a wall which was still wet with paint.
“He wore the jacket everywhere. To the shops, to the movies, to the beach.
“I would like to say thank you to all of the people who have given and offered so many things.
“The emergency services too, who were there within 15 minutes and also came to the wake.”
President Michael D Higgins was among the mourners who attended St Mary’s Church in Derrybeg.
During what was at times a light-hearted service, Fr Brían Ó Fearraigh showed mourners six red Lego bricks that James's son Hamish had given him after his father died.
The last holiday the 12-year-old had with his father was to Legoland in Paris.
The priest said that in exchange, he gave Hamish the same rosary beads he had prayed with when he first heard about the explosion at the Applegreen filling station.
He said that Mr O'Flaherty read to his son every night and that the book they had been reading was “Solo Run”, which was among the gifts brought up to the altar.
He also mentioned his culinary skills, which included his “crazy omelettes” — in which, the priest said, “you never knew what you might find in them”.
He said an example of how much he loved his son was the fact that despite being a big fan of golf and living near some great courses, he once told Hamish: “Why would I play golf when I could spend the time with you.”
Representatives from the multinational he worked for, Jabil, flew in from the US to be at the funeral.
During the service, Mr O'Flaherty was also remembered as a hard working, honest and decent man.
People lined the streets of villages along the way as far as 20km away from the church, of St Mary’s in Doonbeg, north west Donegal.
A large crowd assembled outside the church in silence.
Children from Hamish’s school made up a guard of honour, and were assembled just as James and President Higgins arrived.
The funeral of Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James, who were in the Creeslough Post Office when they were killed, will take place in Creeslough at 2pm this afternoon.
The other victims of Friday's explosion were 50-year-old Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe, who were in the shop to buy a birthday cake; 14-year-old Leona Harper; 59-year-old Hugh Kelly; and 49-year-old Martina Martin.
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