Murder-suicide suspected in tragedy

A MOTHER found dead beside the battered bodies of her two young sons is believed to have killed the children before taking her own life.

Post-mortem examinations to be completed this morning are expected to confirm that Mary Keegan, 40, and her sons, Glen, 10, and Andrew, six, died in a murder-suicide that has stunned family and friends.

The three were found in the kitchen of their home at 39 Killakee Walk in the Firhouse area of south Co Dublin shortly before noon yesterday. It has not been disclosed how the fatal wounds were inflicted but a garda who inspected the site described it as “quite a scene”.

Ms Keegan’s distraught husband, Brian, was greeted with the devastating discovery when he arrived home yesterday from a week-long business trip to the United States.

Neighbours reported last seeing his wife and children on Friday evening. While it was considered unusual that the boys were not seen out playing over the weekend, neighbours in the quiet, settled estate did not suspect any harm had come to the family.

Shocked friend Barbara Tobin said: “I thought it was a bit odd we didn’t see them on Sunday. But then I thought with Brian away, maybe Mary had taken the boys down to her mother’s. I never thought anything was wrong.”

The alarm was raised when gardaí were alerted by a phone call to Rathfarnham Station at 11.30am after a family member called to the house and could not get in. Ms Keegan’s Ford car was still in the driveway at the time and all the blinds were pulled down, even though she should have taken the children to school by then.

The house was alarmed but no one had heard it activated and there were no signs or sounds of a break-in. Gardaí had to break through a door to gain entrance and were shocked by the sight that met them once inside.

Mr Keegan was at the scene briefly but was driven away by gardaí and was last night being comforted by family. A local priest was called to say prayers at the scene as detectives quickly sealed off the house and garden and a small adjoining green.

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis arrived shortly after lunchtime to begin a preliminary examination of the bodies at the scene. Soon after dark, the three bodies were removed to Tallaght Hospital where full post-mortem examinations were due to be completed this morning.

Gardaí remained tight-lipped about the nature of the incident throughout the day but following Dr Curtis’s preliminary findings, it is understood they were satisfied that it was unnecessary to look for any other individual in connection with the deaths.

Neighbours said the Keegans had lived at Killakee for about 10 years and were well known and liked in the area, where they were regarded as friendly, outgoing and community-spirited. Both are natives of Dublin, with Ms Keegan originally from Anne Devlin Road, a short distance away in Rathfarnham.

Ms Keegan, a former beautician, worked part-time with lending institution GE Capital Woodchester, while her husband is employed with Broderick’s Grass Machinery Specialists based in Dún Laoghaire.

Mr Keegan, whose company van was parked outside his home, was due back at work yesterday after a week away. Colleagues at the firm were too upset to speak about the tragedy.

Staff at the two local schools attended by Glen and Andrew moved quickly to issue notes to parents advising them that counselling services would be put in place for pupils and a local community garda was assigned to liaise with teachers.

Superintendent Declan Coburn of Tallaght Station is heading the inquiry, which will now focus on the reasons the popular mother who gave all the appearances of enjoying a happy, fulfilled family life acted in a way people close to her were last night struggling to understand.

Said Barbara Tobin: “I never had any reason to think she was unhappy or depressed or that anything was bothering her. She was always in good form and she loved those kids.”