BY JEROME HUGHES
MARTINA Martin was preparing to celebrate her 19th wedding anniversary four days later, and her 50th birthday three weeks later but then disaster struck on October 7, 2022 in Creeslough.
The people positioned on either side of the mother-of-four survived but tragically she did not.
Nine others also died when the service station in Creeslough was destroyed by a massive explosion, the precise cause of which is still being investigated.
Now, Martina’s husband Derek, her twin sons Neil and Sean (23), third son Oisín (17) and daughter Grainne (16) are supporting a campaign to prevent plans to redevelop commercial premises on the site of the tragedy.
“A recent headline in the paper said ‘new location proposed for Creeslough shop’ but when I read the article it turns out that’s not the case. It was a shock but I’m not surprised because my wife worked in the shop,” said Derek.
The timing of submitting a planning permission application to develop on the site of the tragedy has been called into question by some of the victims’ families.
This is because an investigation is ongoing and an inquest into the deaths is also pending.
“As Tina’s husband I wasn’t made aware of the plans to redevelop directly. They contacted one or both of my sons about plans for the site.
There should be a memorial but definitely not a shop and definitely not both together,” suggests Derek.
On the day of the tragedy Derek had travelled to Dublin for the weekend. He recalls how he literally stepped off one bus and then had to step onto another upon hearing the unimaginable news.
“You think about it every day. It was 14 hours before we got news and got Tina out. You’re always waiting for the miracle story but in the end we didn’t get it,” explained Derek.
Martina was from Letterkenny and Derek is a Louth man. The pair first met in Galway and so that’s where they married in 2003 before settling in Creeslough.
“Tina was an amazing woman. She wasn’t just one in a million, she was one of a kind. The children called her ‘mama bear’ because she stood up for them but always made sure she got the story right before going all guns blazing.
“She was an amazing cook. We have so many happy memories of being down in Galway. It’s a big loss for us because she was the main character in the family.
“The children always went to her for advice and information,” recalls Derek.
The widower now lives in Letterkenny because being in Creeslough brings back bad memories.
His sons Neil and Sean are serving in the Defence Forces and continue to live in Creeslough.
However, Derek says they no longer wish to be in the village since news broke of the proposed redevelopment.
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