Boy, 4, & grandaunt, 60, killed in ‘murderous’ Offaly home petrol bomb attack named as campaign of terror details emerge
The Irish Sun has learned the main line of inquiry being examined following the horrific double murder
A FOUR-year-old boy and his female relative died in a horror house blaze after a petrol bomb was thrown through the home’s front window in a targeted attack.
Little Tadhg Farrell and his grandaunt Mary Holt, 60, lost their lives in what gardai branded a “reckless, callous and murderous attack” on Saturday evening in Co Offaly.
Tadhg’s granny Pauline Holt, 50s, is in hospital with serious injuries from the fire at Castleview Park in Edenderry.
The Irish Sun has learned a line of inquiry being followed is that the house was targeted in a case of drug debt intimidation, but sources stressed those who occupied the home were completely innocent.
Detectives believe the grudge is against a man linked to the victims who is currently in prison custody and has been awaiting sentence over a drug seizure.
The property was previously damaged by a local drugs gang in a campaign of terror, which included the windows of the house being smashed.
Sources said that although the intention may not have been to kill, it was still such an “outrageous” attack.
Coupled with the fact there was most likely the knowledge that people were inside the home when it was carried out, just before 7.45pm on Saturday night, the Garda investigation was today upgraded to double murder.
It is understood that while young Tadhg was in the house being minded by his granny and grandaunt he did not live there permanently.
Gardai are working to identify suspects, with an alert put out to officers early on in the wider Midlands area to flag any burnt out vehicles.
A source said: “The home was clearly targeted but gardai suspect the grudge is linked to a man who is in prison.
“That is known to whoever is behind this.
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“They intentionally targeted an innocent family.
“It may have been the case they were not aware the boy was there, but it’s likely they knew people were inside at the time.”
They added: “The petrol bomb went in the front window and the fire ripped up the house very quickly. Unfortunately, the boy and his grandaunt did not make it. It is a shocking case.
“But gardai are determined to get to the bottom of it and every possible resource will be used.”
Another source added: “There is no law with the thugs behind this — they claim you owe whatever you owe and that’s it, they’re coming after you in any way they can.
“You can see that in cases all around the country where innocent people are being targeted.
“Now innocent people, a child and a woman, have died.”
Local fire services brought the blaze under control on Saturday but were unable to save the two victims.
LOCALS DEVASTATED
Post-mortems by the Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster began on the remains of Tadhg and Mary at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore this afternoon after their bodies were taken away in separate hearses.
In the aftermath, the community in Edenderry are reeling from the sickening incident.
Locals watched on in horror, with people heard screaming as brave personnel from the Offaly Fire and Rescue Service, National Ambulance Service and gardai responded to the fire on Saturday.
Local Cllr Fergus McDonnell knew Mary well as he had lived just 100 yards from the family in the past.
The petrol bomb went in the front window and the fire ripped up the house very quickly. Unfortunately, the boy and his grandaunt did not make it. It is a shocking case”Irish Sun source
He told The Irish Sun: “Mary was a quiet woman and she worked in a local nursing home. I believe Tadhg was a very pleasant young man.
“I was shown a photograph of him in his school uniform. He was a very handsome young chap and very well turned out.
“After that I wouldn’t know much about him.”
‘DREADFUL INCIDENT’
Cllr McDonnell added: “I mean it’s a dreadful incident to have occurred and sadly — and obviously — innocent lives have been lost.
“It is shocking and it doesn’t do the community and the area any justice. This is a community where there is a huge sense of camaraderie and collective support for one another — everybody looks out for everybody else.”
Flowers were left at the scene today as the Garda Technical Bureau carried out an examination on the home, which was badly damaged on one side.
Supt Liam Geraghty, of the Garda Press Office, spoke outside Edenderry Garda Station urging people with any information to come forward.
‘MURDEROUS ATTACK’
He said: “This murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.
“A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the families.
“An Garda Siochana believes the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown at this time, and the fire was deliberately started.
“This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home.
“Gardai in Offaly are appealing for any person with any information on this fatal incident to speak with investigating gardai.”
There is no law with the thugs behind this — they claim you owe whatever you owe and that’s it, they’re coming after you in any way they can.”Irish Sun source
He continued: “Gardai want to speak with any person who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park — or adjoining roads — between 7pm and 8pm, on Saturday.
“Gardai also want to speak with any person who was driving in the vicinity of Castleview Park — or adjoining roads — between 7pm and 8pm, on Saturday and who may have any dashcam video footage or images to contact them.
“The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station — in particular Edenderry Garda Station.”
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan also issued a statement.
He said: “I strongly condemn the deliberate callous attack on a house in Edenderry, Offaly, which sadly resulted in the loss of two lives — including a young child.
“There is no place in a civilised society for such heinous violence.
“I join An Garda Siochana in appealing to anyone with information to come forward.”
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“They intentionally targeted an innocent family.
“It may have been the case they were not aware the boy was there, but it’s likely they knew people were inside at the time.”
They added: “The petrol bomb went in the front window and the fire ripped up the house very quickly. Unfortunately, the boy and his grandaunt did not make it. It is a shocking case.
“But gardai are determined to get to the bottom of it and every possible resource will be used.”
Another source added: “There is no law with the thugs behind this — they claim you owe whatever you owe and that’s it, they’re coming after you in any way they can.
“You can see that in cases all around the country where innocent people are being targeted.
“Now innocent people, a child and a woman, have died.”
Local fire services brought the blaze under control on Saturday but were unable to save the two victims.
LOCALS DEVASTATED
Post-mortems by the Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster began on the remains of Tadhg and Mary at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore this afternoon after their bodies were taken away in separate hearses.
In the aftermath, the community in Edenderry are reeling from the sickening incident.
Locals watched on in horror, with people heard screaming as brave personnel from the Offaly Fire and Rescue Service, National Ambulance Service and gardai responded to the fire on Saturday.
Local Cllr Fergus McDonnell knew Mary well as he had lived just 100 yards from the family in the past.
The petrol bomb went in the front window and the fire ripped up the house very quickly. Unfortunately, the boy and his grandaunt did not make it. It is a shocking case”Irish Sun source
He told The Irish Sun: “Mary was a quiet woman and she worked in a local nursing home. I believe Tadhg was a very pleasant young man.
“I was shown a photograph of him in his school uniform. He was a very handsome young chap and very well turned out.
“After that I wouldn’t know much about him.”
‘DREADFUL INCIDENT’
Cllr McDonnell added: “I mean it’s a dreadful incident to have occurred and sadly — and obviously — innocent lives have been lost.
“It is shocking and it doesn’t do the community and the area any justice. This is a community where there is a huge sense of camaraderie and collective support for one another — everybody looks out for everybody else.”
Flowers were left at the scene today as the Garda Technical Bureau carried out an examination on the home, which was badly damaged on one side.
Supt Liam Geraghty, of the Garda Press Office, spoke outside Edenderry Garda Station urging people with any information to come forward.
‘MURDEROUS ATTACK’
He said: “This murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.
“A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the families.
“An Garda Siochana believes the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown at this time, and the fire was deliberately started.
“This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home.
“Gardai in Offaly are appealing for any person with any information on this fatal incident to speak with investigating gardai.”
There is no law with the thugs behind this — they claim you owe whatever you owe and that’s it, they’re coming after you in any way they can.”Irish Sun source
He continued: “Gardai want to speak with any person who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park — or adjoining roads — between 7pm and 8pm, on Saturday.
“Gardai also want to speak with any person who was driving in the vicinity of Castleview Park — or adjoining roads — between 7pm and 8pm, on Saturday and who may have any dashcam video footage or images to contact them.
“The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station — in particular Edenderry Garda Station.”
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan also issued a statement.
He said: “I strongly condemn the deliberate callous attack on a house in Edenderry, Offaly, which sadly resulted in the loss of two lives — including a young child.
“There is no place in a civilised society for such heinous violence.
“I join An Garda Siochana in appealing to anyone with information to come forward.”
