Mother who lost five loved ones says Buncrana tragedy ‘feels like yesterday’

By Claudia Savage, Press Association

A mother who lost five members of her family in a pier tragedy 10 years ago has said it “feels like it was yesterday” as hundreds came out for a memorial walk.

Louise James’ partner Sean McGrotty, their two sons Mark, 12, and Evan, eight, her mother Ruth and her 14-year-old sister Jodie died when their SUV sank after sliding off a slipway in Buncrana, Co Donegal, in March 2016.

The only survivor was the four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann, daughter of McGrotty and James.

McGrotty handed his baby daughter through the broken driver’s side window just moments before the vehicle sank to former footballer Davitt Walsh. who swam out into the harbour in an effort to save the six occupants.

Approaching the 10-year anniversary of their death, hundreds attended a memorial walk in Buncrana wearing red and white.

Prior to setting off a minute’s silence was held, and a family friend sang Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher.

Ms James said she felt “overwhelmed” at the support and love from the community.

“Very overwhelmed. It was a fantastic success, it was amazing, the sun came out it was beautiful,” she said.

“Very, very, very overwhelmed.”

She added: “It went exactly how I wanted it to go, with laughter and fun and everyone smiling and remembering them, that’s what I wanted.”

It is understood that the vehicle lost grip on a thick blanket of algae coating the structure and slid into the waters of Lough Swilly.

There were no signs at the slipway warning of the dangers of slipping and a gate designed to control crowds using a summer ferry service in the popular tourist spot was left open.

It was used by people watching the sun going down despite dangers that were highlighted during the inquest in 2017.

James said Rioghnach frequently come down to the pier to remember their family.

“We come down and we’ll do the walk,” she said.

“This is the walk along the shoreline, so it’s beautiful, you know, it’s a very peaceful walk and Rioghnach will play in the play park, so it’s really nice where her brothers played as well.”

Ten years on, Ms James said the tragedy “feels like it happened yesterday”.

“Still feels like it was only yesterday so it’s very overwhelming but a sadness too,” she said.

Donations for the walk were collected for the RNLI, and the walk finished at Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboat station.

Ms James said “it was lovely” to see the people of “Derry and Donegal” pulling together.

“But not just Derry and Donegal it was the whole of Ireland, because there was people here from Cork and Wicklow, and so lovely to see them all and just to be here supporting us in what we wanted to do,” she said.

She added: “It was great just to support the RNLI and the good work that they really do. And this is all for them, too.”

Before the walk, those gathered heard a prayer: “We pray for all who grieve, for every broken heart in the community that still remembers.

“Help us to stand together in compassion, to support one another, to support one another and to never forget the precious lives that were lost.

“May we honour them and how we live with kindness, with care and love for one another, may their memory always be a blessing.”