Creeslough tragedy tribute song released to mark first anniversary

By Dionne Meehan

A SPECIAL tribute has been made to one of the victims of the Creeslough tragedy after a song was released to mark the first year anniversary.

‘Stolen Dreams’ was inspired by 14-year-old Leona Harper who was one of the ten people who tragically lost their lives in last year’s explosion.

Written and composed by Castlefin native, Matt McGranaghan, the song was released this week during a broadcast on UTV on Tuesday night.

Matt said the idea behind the song came when he was contacted by his cousin Anne Nicholls in Letterkenny.

“Last October, two weeks after the Creeslough tragedy, my cousin Anne asked if I would write a piece of music for her son’s friend who was tragically taken from this world on October 7,” Matt explained.

“I promised I would.”

This isn’t the only song Matt has penned in honour of Creeslough and those whose lives were taken.

“Earlier this year between February and April, I wrote a piece titled ‘Olldáimh’ in honour of Creeslough, the community, the families and also the 10 people whose lives were taken on that fateful day.

“This piece was a gift from the Donegal Association Dublin who honoured the people of Creeslough with their Donegal Person of the Year Award.

“Denise Roper and I performed ‘Olldáimh’ in Dublin at the Donegal Association Dinner in April.

“That night I met Leona’s parents, Hugh and Donna,” he said.

Visiting their family home one week later, Matt told them about the song he was asked to write in memory of Leona.

“I learned about Leona from them. Leona was an amazing young lady.

“She was brave, talented, artistic, conscientious, full of empathy.

“She had many interests from art to music, to cars, engines, fishing and rugby and sport.

“She lived a full life. “She looked out for her friends and others. “She was caring and thoughtful,” he said.

Leaving their house inspired, Matt began writting ‘Stolen Dreams’ the following week.

Doubling as a fundraising campaign, the song is appealing to listeners to make a donation in Leona’s memory to three charities that are close to the Harper family’s hearts.

The three charities are CRITICAL Emergency Medical Response, SARDA Ireland North and K9 Search and Rescue NI.

CRITICAL equips Volunteer Emergency Medical Responders to provide pre-hospital emergency care to critically injured patients in local communities.

CRITICAL’s Donegal based Emergency Medical Responder Dr. Gerry Lane was one of those on scene in Creeslough, treating the critically injured and managing the medical efforts on scene, as was CRITICAL’s Dublin based EMR, Dr. Andy Patten.

SARDA Ireland is a voluntary emergency search and rescue organisation who helped in the search for missing persons through the deployment of Air Scenting Search and Rescue Dogs on scene.

K9 Search and Rescue are a professional all-volunteer canine Search and Rescue team whose members also assisted in the search for missing persons on the site of the tragic incident.

l With almost €500 raised so far, donations can be made at https://www.idonate.ie/event/stolendreams-inlovingmemoryofleonaharper

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