by Eoin McGarvey
An overnight fire has destroyed St Mary’s Catholic Church in Derrybeg.
Fire crews were alerted to the fire in the middle of the night and crews from Gweedore, Dungloe, Falcarragh, Glenties and Letterkenny rushed to the scene.
The blaze burned through the roof as fire crews did their best. As daylight began breaking through, only a shell of the building remained.
By daylight only parts of the concrete walls and the steel frame of the curved roof remained. Scores of locals gathered on the main road near the church and watched helplessly as the building, built on 1972, was destroyed.
A Donegal fire service water tanker and the turntable unit from Letterkenny arrived after 5am to help the existing crews.
Gardaí closed the adjacent roads and diversions were put in place. P
arish priest Fr Brian Ferry, who lives in the adjacent parochial house, watched helplessly as the building burned. Neighbouring priests arrived at the scene to remain with him.
A full investigation into the cause of the blaze is expected to get underway.
The ferocity of the fire at the church. Photo by Tommu Curran
The scene of the blaze. Photo Eoin McGarvey
The charred remains. Photo Eoin McGarvey
Gardaí on the scene of the early morning fire at St Mary’s Church, Derrybeg. Photo Eoin McGarvey
The charred remains of St Mary’s Church in Derrybeg. Photo Eoin McGarvey
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