Family of Creeslough victims ask TG4 not to broadcast documentary

A family bereaved following the Creeslough explosion have requested that a TG4 documntary not be broadcast this week.

Iniúchadh - An Craoslach is scheduled to be screened on Wednesday at 9.30pm.

The explosion, at the Applegreen complex, claimed the lives of ten people on October 7.

Five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father, Robert Garwe (50) who was originally from Zimbabwe, were among those killed.

Killian Flanagan, whose sister Aie was Mr Garwe's partner, told Tuesday RTE Liveline that he has contacted both TG4 and An Garda Siochana to request that the documentary not be shown.

"Tomorrow night Áine and others will be forced to look at a one-hour documentary revisiting the worst chapter of their existence, and seeing and hearing things for the first time and it’s not acceptable,” he said.

Mr Flanagan told how his sister and others were not consulted.

His sister is 'devastated' at the prospect of the programme being aired.

He said: "This should not the first representation of what happened.

"Why they would put the needs of sensationalism ahead of the needs of the victims' families, I just don’t get it.

Mr Flanagan feels that such a programme should not be made while a Garda investigation is ongoing.

He added: "This is too traumatising three months in to put anyone through at this point in time".

In a statement, TG4 said: "The focus of the documentary 'Iniúchadh TG4 - An Craoslach’ is to shine a light on the people of the area who assisted in the rescue at the scene of the explosion

"It contains interviews with some of those who risked their own lives while bringing others to safety. They speak compassionately and sensitively about the roles they played helping others in the face of great adversity.

“The contributors wanted to express their gratitude at how an ordinary community came together at a time of great difficulty to try to assist their friends and neighbours

"Some of those who took part did so with the knowledge of some of those who lost loved ones. The programme shows the upmost respect for those who lost their lives.

“The programme does not report anything about the victims other than what has already been reported publicly in the direct aftermath of the tragedy."