Singer-songwriter Matt McGranaghan, a native of Castlefin, was asked to write a song inspired by Leona Harper as a fundraiser for the emergency services that were on site that day last October - you can donate here.

You can listen to the song here: https://youtu.be/FLB-o4-0D38

A local musician has released a fundraising song in memory of Leona Harper, who was one of the 10 people who sadly passed away in the Creeslough Tragedy last year.

Fourteen-year-old Leona from Letterkenny attended Mulroy College in Milford and played for Letterkenny Rugby Club.

“Leona was a little lady with a big heart who lived a full life,” Fr Michael Carney, Ramelton Parish Priest, said at her funeral mass last year.

Singer-songwriter Matt McGranaghan, a native of Castlefin, was asked to write a song inspired by Leona Harper as a fundraiser for the emergency services that were on site that day last October.

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

“The song is a fundraiser for the Critical Response Team that was on the ground in Creeslough that day and also the Search and Rescue Dog Association and the Northern Ireland K9 Search and Rescue,” Anne Nicholls, a family friend, told DonegalLive.

“The song itself is called Stolen Dreams and it is a father singing to a daughter about his dreams and aspirations for her and how that can all change so quickly. It is a song that anyone who has experienced bereavement can find comfort in, it is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.”

The song contains a powerful quote, that was displayed on a picture of Leona’s and reads: ”Though my soul has set in darkness, It will rise in perfect light. I have loved the stars too fondly, to be fearful of the night.” The quote was derived from a poem by an English poet Sarah Williams titled The Old Astronomer.

Stolen Dreams was released this week. The song was broadcast on UTV on Tuesday and then released to all social media platforms and YouTube.

Listeners have the option to donate to the three charities, Critical Emergency Medical and Community First Responders, SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association) Ireland North and K9 Search and Rescue NI.

“Please donate what you can, if you can, and if you can’t, then please share the song with your family and friends and keep Leona’s memory alive,” Matt said.

You can contribute on iDonate, ‘Stolen Dreams - In Loving Memory of Leona Harper' here

This coming Saturday, October 7, there will be a commemoration held on the first anniversary in Creeslough. It will take place at 3pm at the site of the tragedy and a mass will also be held that evening at 7:30pm at St Michael’s Church to remember those who lost their lives, those who were injured and anyone who was involved such as the emergency services, the families and the local community.

The 10 people who tragically lost their lives in the explosion were Leona Harper (14), Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her son James Monaghan (13), Robert Garwe (50) and his daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe (5), Martin McGill (49), Jessica Gallagher (24), Hugh Kelly (59), James O’Flaherty (48) and Martina Martin (49).

The N56 road will be closed on Saturday from 2:30pm to 4pm and local diversions will be in place to facilitate the memorial service.