“I DON’T UNDERSTAND” — DANIEL O’DONNELL’S HEARTFELT SPEECH TO THE PEOPLE OF CREESLOUGH
The village of Creeslough, still reeling from the explosion that claimed ten lives last month, was wrapped in grief and solidarity on Friday night as singer Daniel O’Donnell returned home to stand with its people. Invited to the final Novena of Masses for the Deceased at St Michael’s Church, the Donegal native delivered a performance and speech that left many in the congregation in tears.
Daniel and his wife Majella flew in from Branson, Missouri, where he had been performing, to mark the occasion. The mass was led by his lifelong friend, Fr John Joe Duffy, the parish priest whose words have been a steady source of comfort since the October 7 tragedy. Daniel sang several hymns during the service before being invited to address the congregation.
Clearly emotional, the star admitted his struggle to find words. “I have no other words other than to let you know that people all over the world contacted me about you,” he told the gathered mourners. “Places you wouldn’t even believe I got messages from — they were thinking and praying for the people here, for those who lost loved ones, for the injured, and for all who responded to the tragedy.”
He continued, “Not alone was Donegal or Ireland holding you up — the whole world was holding you up, and is holding you up. Prayer doesn’t stop, but neither does the pain stop, or the memory of the tragedy. If we hadn’t prayer at times when we need it most, I just can’t imagine how we could ever take the next step. And I don’t know how the families are taking steps. I don’t understand how.”
Daniel urged the community to lean on faith as a source of strength. “If we have any belief, we should know that we will one day be face to face with the people who leave us — whether it is when we think their time is right, or it is way too soon. If we don’t believe that, the sadness in this world would not be bearable.”
The service closed with an emotional candle-lighting ceremony. Fr Duffy placed 31 candles at the altar: 29 for members of the community who had died during the year, including eight victims of the explosion, and two for Leona Harper (14) and James O’Flaherty (48), who had been passing through Creeslough when they lost their lives at the Applegreen Service Station.
Fr Duffy ended the Novena Mass by sharing the poignant words of 12-year-old Hamish O’Flaherty, who lost his father James in the explosion. Hamish’s simple message was a reminder of life’s fragility: “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.”
Daniel’s presence and heartfelt words were described by mourners as a moment of light in the darkness. For a village still bound by grief, the combination of prayer, song, and shared remembrance offered a fragile but vital comfort.