More details have emerged about the unimaginable murder-suicide of a family of five in Cavan yesterday.
The bodies of Alan and Clodagh Hawe, and their three young sons Liam, Niall and Ryan, were discovered at their home in Barconey, Ballyjamesduff, yesterday morning.
Authorities have begun a forensic examination of the Hawe family house, as Gardaí revealed that the deaths are being treated as a murder-suicide. Post-mortems will also be carried out today.
It’s believed that the father, Alan Hawe, a local school vice principal, killed his family before taking his own life.
Post-mortems on five bodies from Cavan 'murder-suicide' to be carried out today https://t.co/rVft7HMYKH pic.twitter.com/QHS2W8Eymk
— breakingnews.ie (@breakingnewsie) August 30, 2016
Clodagh Hawe was also a local teacher, and their three sons were aged just 13, 11, and 6.
The Independent reports that the family attended a Castlerahan GAA Club football match on Sunday, and that they were “in high spirits” after the club won the game.
The paper is also reporting that Mr Hawe left a note stuck to the back door of the family home warning the next visitor to call the Gardaí.
Detectives are still trying to establish a motive for the deaths, but Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll said:
“We believe all the answers are within that house, therefore the most likely scenario is that one person in that house may have caused the deaths of others.”
RTE reports that the Department of Education has been “in contact with the National Education Psychological Service and that psychologists were on the ground to provide advice and support”.
You can call The Samaritans any time of the day on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org.
