By Martin Walsh and Kieran O’Mahony
A WEST Cork rally co-driver helped to rescue two primary school children from the debris following the explosion that claimed the lives of 10 people in Creeslough last week.
Rosscarbery’s Alistair Wyllie (38) had made the 320-mile trip to Gortahork, just 13 miles from Creeslough, for the Donegal Harvest Rally on Saturday.
Having completed his reconnaissance of the rally stages with his Scottish driver Lee Hastings, the pair were walking to the Applegreen service station in Creeslough for a cup of coffee, before checking into their accommodation.
‘We were only about 70 metres away when the blast occurred,’ Alistair told The Southern Star. ‘It was like a sonic boom – there was a huge cloud of dust.’
Like others, he rushed to the scene to help, and started to move rubble with his bare hands. ‘Myself and another fellow helped to free a little girl, she was around seven or eight years old,’ he explained. ‘We lifted the rubble off her, and the person that was with me managed to get her school bag off her back. We then brought her to safety.’
The two men then went back to the devastated site to try and help some more. ‘We managed to find another girl. It took longer to get to her, there was a lot more rubble and a lot of wire tangled around the debris. Eventually we managed to get her to safety,’ Alistair recalled.
‘It was awful, really, you could hear people groaning. One was the voice of a girl, she told us she was unharmed but trapped. We kept reassuring her and told her help was on the way – she was eventually freed after about an hour.’ By that time, teleporters, trucks, diggers and tractors were involved in helping to clear a way into the those trapped in the rubble.
‘It really was the most horrific scene I have ever witnessed in my life,’ said the Rosscarbery man. ‘Lee and myself, and everyone else that helped … we did everything we possibly could.’
The Applegreen station was, in fact, the designated meeting point for the marshals for the opening stage of the rally the following day. A number of other West Cork rally followers had also travelled to help with the organising of the rally.
As a mark of respect, the rally organisers, in consultation with Motorsport Ireland, issued a statement at 7pm on Friday evening to say the rally was postponed.
Meanwhile, a book of condolences was opened by county mayor Danny Collins in the County Hall and a number of events were organised this week throughout West Cork to remember the victims of what gardaí say was most likely a tragic accident.
Vigils took place in both Bandon and Clonakilty on Wednesday night.
Cllr Sean O’Donovan organised a vigil at Bridge Lane in Bandon and said: ‘It’s very hard to come to terms with such a tragedy to hit a small community in our country and we send our prayers, thoughts, love and support to the community in Cresslough.’
The vigil in Clonakilty was organised by the Mayoral Council and took place in Emmet Square. Rosary was also said in Timoleague for victims and the community earlier this week.
Cork South West Independent TD Michael Collins and his colleagues in the Rural Independent Group said their hearts go out to their families, their loved ones and the entire community who are reeling from this incredible loss.
Opening the Book of Condolence for the people of Cresslough at Cork County Hall on Monday the county mayor said ‘there are no words to describe the impact of his terrible tragedy on such a community. A community who are grieving their loss. On behalf of the people of Cork county, we grieve with you,’ said Cllr Collins.
The Book of Condolence can also be signed online by visiting www.corkcoco.ie
