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The mother of a teenage girl who lost her life in a devastating explosion at a service station has urged the Irish government to engage directly with the families affected in meaningful discussions about launching a public inquiry into the incident. Donna Harper’s daughter, Leona, aged 14, was among the ten victims killed in the blast that occurred at Creeslough in County Donegal on 7 October 2022.
Despite the tragedy occurring over a year ago, no official cause for the explosion has been provided to date. The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in Ireland has pointed out that the ongoing criminal investigation remains the most suitable mechanism to address the concerns voiced by both the families and the general public. Gardaí, Ireland’s police force, are leading the probe in collaboration with the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and the Health and Safety Authority. A key part of the investigation’s file is expected to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in March, following an initial file forwarded last September.
Donna Harper is set to speak at an upcoming event in Londonderry that commemorates the 54th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, a historic moment when 13 civil rights demonstrators were killed by the Army in 1972. Alongside families and campaigners from several other tragedies—such as the Stardust fire, Hillsborough disaster, the Post Office scandal, Ballymurphy, and Bloody Sunday—she will share her experiences in demanding truth and justice. Reflecting on her journey, Harper remarked to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, “Never in my life did I think I would be standing alongside those families now fighting for justice for my daughter and for the nine other people that died in Creeslough. Those families understand exactly what we are going through.”
While Donegal County Council passed a motion calling for a public inquiry earlier this year, progress towards this has been complicated. Planning permission for rebuilding at the Creeslough site was initially granted but later revoked after appeals from bereaved families. Donna Harper revealed that Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan told her any decision regarding a public inquiry would follow the conclusion of the Garda investigation. Emphasizing the families’ determination, she said, “We are coming to a critical time in the Gardaí’s criminal investigation, which I am fully supportive of. Once the file is fully submitted, we will have to wait for direction from the DPP.” However, she believes that the Garda investigation alone will not answer all the questions the families have and insists, “The government have to sit down with us.”
Leona Harper would have turned 18 this past January, but the family still does not have a death certificate due to the ongoing criminal investigation delaying full inquests. Donna Harper finds strength in her daughter’s memory, saying, “Leona’s life mattered and those nine people mattered, so their deaths have to matter. My daughter was only 14 when she died, she should be here moving to the next chapter in her life. No parent should be left waiting and wondering.” Harper pointed to the Raglan House gas explosion in Dublin in 1987—which resulted in two deaths—as an example where both a criminal investigation and a government report proceeded in parallel, stating, “That happened in 1987, we are now in 2026. It shouldn’t be left to the families to figure this out.”
In a statement to BBC News NI, the Department of Justice said the Minister had met with Leona’s parents in Donegal in December 2025, expressing his deepest sympathy to them, the other victim families, and the wider community. The department reiterated the importance of allowing the Garda investigation to conclude, noting that the DPP operates independently and the Minister cannot comment on any aspect of the DPP’s work. The Garda investigation team has also appealed for anyone who was inside the building before the explosion to come forward to assist with their inquiries. They confirmed that any inquests and criminal proceedings will be conducted publicly
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