Creeslough victims Catherine O’Donnell and son James will be forever 'hand-in-hand'

The coffins of James Monaghan and his mother Catherine O'Donnell are carried into St Michael's Church, Creeslough. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan will be forever “hand-in-hand'' and “side-by-side”, mourners at their funeral heard.

The pair had been in the post office when the explosion killed them at the service station in Creeslough, Co Donegal.

Just before 2pm, their hearses arrived at St Michael’s Church in the village.

A large crowd of around 600 gathered along the route to the church and stood silent as their hearses passed.

Later, mourners heard that James “was about to launch into life” and was “full of life, full of joy”.

Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan

Fr John Joe Duffy said: “James never stopped talking. He was just a very joyful person.

“He also had his aunts and uncles wrapped around his fingers”.

James’ mother Catherine was described as “bubbly and full of life, she was intelligent and she loved parties”, they heard.

Fr Duffy said Catherine was in the middle of organising a party when she died.

He also said: “She was a glam lady who loved shopping.

He said she was also a Garth Brooks fan and had “stayed up for hours” to get tickets to go and see him when he performed in Ireland recently.

“She was also a loving woman, a loving partner, a loving daughter and someone who was much, much loved."

At just 13, James had had a discussion recently with his mother about going to his first disco.

There was, said Fr Duffy, “much debate” about the event.

“He was just a child about to take off in life,” he said. “We are all struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking and incomprehensible loss”.

He thanked Mulroy College principal Fiona Temple, who attended with members of James' class.

Mourners comfort each other as they arrive for the funeral mass of James Monaghan and and his mother Catherine O'Donnell. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Also thanked were staff from Letterkenny Mortuary, where he reminded mourners, people had worked round the clock on victims of last Friday’s blast to make sure they could be returned to their families as soon as possible.

Prayers were also said for, among others, Catherine’s daughter Paige, who died very young, and her father Ned, who also predeceased her.

Thursday will see more funerals for victims of last week’s blast.

Martina Martin’s funeral will be held at 11am in St Michael’s Church in Creeslough, and Leona Harper’s will be held at 2pm in Ramelton.