'A sense of numbness': Kerry village in shock after three die in suspected murder-suicide
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There is a sense of “utter numbness” in the Co Kerry community where a man appears to have shot his partner and the couple’s son and then turned the gun on himself.
Parish priest Fr Anthony O’Sullivan, who gave the family the last rites late last night, said people are stunned.
Gardaí have launched an investigation after three members of the same family were found dead following a suspected double murder-suicide tragedy in Kerry on Tuesday.
A property in a remote area of Lixnaw in the north of the county has been sealed off following the discovery of the bodies of a man, a woman, and a young man at a property in the area.
They are all members of the same family. They had all suffered apparent gunshot wounds and a firearm was found at the scene.
The alarm was raised shortly after 9pm when a neighbour called to the house.
Gardaí attended the scene and found the body of the woman, in her 60s, and the body of her son, who was in his 20s, inside the house.
The body of a man in his 60s was discovered outside at the rear of the property a short time later.
The man in his 60s is said to have been a former bus driver, and truck driver.
His partner is described as having grown up in the area and the man in his 20s is understood to have worked for local agricultural contractors.
Fr O’Sullivan said he is still very shocked at what he saw and admitted he couldn’t put it into words.
Although he has dealt with families at the passing of their loved ones, he said he had never experienced a scenario like this.
Fr O’Sullivan said: “I was there. I got a call around 11.15pm and I was asked to go out and give them the last Rites.
“Words fail me, words fail me. I just can’t put into words what I saw and what I witnessed.
“It is just so shocking. I’ve only been here two years and the pandemic hasn’t made it easy to meet people.
“But I would know them, they are a local family, and I met one of them briefly early on in my start here.
“You hear about this sort of thing, but you never expect it to happen on your own doorstep.
“This is just so awful. To tell you the truth, I just can’t take it in.”
The scene has been sealed off and the State pathologist has been contacted and the services of the Garda Technical Bureau have been requested.
The scene has been preserved and the bodies are expected to remain where they were found overnight, pending a preliminary assessment of the scene by the state pathologist today.
Gardaí in Listowel said they are not looking for any other person in relation to this incident, at this time.
Cathaoirleach of the Listowel Municipal District, Mike Kennelly, says people are devastated by the tragedy.
"Waking up to this news coming through very late last night and early this morning I mean, it's a shell shocking moment for the community," he said.
"It's a very, very sad time. It's a tragedy of we read about up and down the country but, you know, the local community in Lixnaw wake up to this.
"One local resident this morning said she felt actually sick on hearing this news and the, very, very sad news for the family."
The Minister for Justice today offered her condolences.
“My deepest sympathies to all impacted by the truly awful tragedy in Lixnaw,” Heather Humphreys said.
“The shock and devastation being felt by the family and the community is unimaginable.
“An Garda Síochána is engaging with the local community and will carry out a full investigation.”
Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.ie