Derry’s Guildhall Clock turned red and white last night in honour of the victims of the Buncrana tragedy.
The colours are those of both Derry FC and Manchester United, the teams which twelve-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Evan, who were huge football fans, supported.
The boys tragically lost their lives alongside their father Sean McGrotty (49), his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels (59) and her daughter, Jodie Lee (14) when their vehicle slipped from Buncrana pier into Lough Swilly.
Four-month-old baby girl Rionaghac-Ann, a sister to the boys and daughter to Sean, was the sole survivor of the accident after being saved by passerby Davitt Walsh.
According to Derry Journal, Derry City and Strabane District Council also agreed to turn the lights at Council Offices, Strand Road and the Alley Theatre in Strabane, the colour red on Wednesday and Thursday night.
Mayor Elisha McCallion, said turning the Guildhall Clock red and white and the Council premises red was a symbolic gesture of support and reflective of the huge outpouring of grief from the local community:
“The two boys were massive Derry City FC and Manchester United fans. Their uncle Joshua Daniels plays for the local club and the boys and Jodie-Lee were passionate about the sport.
“I spoke to Louise today at the wake and she spoke about Evan and how he was obsessed with the colour red, it was his favourite colour.
“He loved red clothes and all the things in his room are red. We feel it’s a fitting tribute to their memory to have the lights on the Council offices and the Alley Theatre turned red as a mark of respect.”
And the Guildhall clock is red & white in honour of those who were lost in Buncrana #legenderryhour pic.twitter.com/rkcMYhNZMj
— Derry Hour (@Legenderryhour) March 23, 2016
