ON Tuesday afternoon, Creeslough fell silent as families, friends and loved ones gathered to mark the third anniversary of the tragedy that changed their lives forever.

The tight-knit village still trembles from the magnitude of the explosion on October 7, 2022, and each year brings another powerful aftershock that ripples through their community.

They stood together once again in silence, laying flowers and pinning photos of their loved ones to the hoarding that conceals the site where the service station once stood.

The autumn air was still and quiet, it felt sadly familiar.

As in some ways, not much has changed since they gathered there behind Garda cordons three years ago. The grieving families are still waiting for answers.

“Lives have moved on, but we’re still stuck in October 7, 2022,” said Hugh Harper, whose 14-year-old daughter Leona was one of the ten victims.

As 3.17pm approached on Tuesday, young children in their school uniforms filtered through the crowd. This too felt familiar.

They were making their way up after school, just as they did on that fateful Friday three years ago, when the shop was filled with children, eager for an end of week treat.

To mark the anniversary, national media once again descended on the village, their cameras panned to the bare wooden boards hiding the scene of what once was a bustling petrol station.

This stark sight serves as a harrowing reminder for the community – not just on the anniversary, but every day they pass by.

Anthony Gallagher, father of 24-year-old Jessica, who died in the explosion, spoke of how he lives less than a mile away from the site but avoids passing it.

But through the heartache and silence during the memorial, the sound of birdsong echoed through the village, offering a glimmer of hope.

The bereaved families welcomed the recent news that a file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. But as Mr Harper added, “We need answers to close the chapter on what happened and to grieve our loved ones.”

“We have called for the establishment of a public inquiry and we are re-establishing that call today,” he said.

Antoinette Keegan a survivor of the Stardust tragedy speaking at the third anniversary of the Creeslough tragedy on Tuesday afternoon. Photo Brian McDaid.

In a show of solidarity with the families, Stardust survivor and campaigner Antoinette Keegan attended the memorial service.

In a moving speech, she led calls for a public inquiry, prompting a round of applause from those gathered.

Ms Keegan’s two sisters were among the 48 young people killed in a nightclub fire on Valentine’s Day, 1981.

She understands all too well the pain of the unknown, having waited over four decades for justice.

In a recent interview with the Donegal News, Jessica Gallagher’s sister shared her fear of being left without answers.

“With the Stardust tragedy, people waited over 40 years for justice, and their parents had died by the time they got an answer,” she said.

“My fear is that my parents will die before we get answers.”

Addressing the media gathered at the end of the memorial, her father Anthony Gallagher said that a public inquiry is crucial for bringing closure to the families.