Mental state of cliff fall mother to be examined

THE MENTAL state of 26-year-old Eileen Murphy, who is believed to have killed herself and her four-year-old son Evan at the Cliffs of Moher on Tuesday, will be examined by gardaí during the investigation into the two deaths, it was confirmed yesterday.

It also emerged that a note was left at the home of the young mother and her son in Ballyhea, north Cork. It was discovered by family members after they learned of the double tragedy.

The case is currently being treated as a murder and suicide.

Post-mortem examinations were carried out yesterday afternoon on the bodies of Eileen and Evan Murphy.

Gardaí said the remains of the mother and son would be released to family members last night once the post-mortems were completed by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy at University College Hospital in Galway. It is understood that the mental state of Ms Murphy would be examined during the course of the inquiry into the tragedy.

Her mother and other relatives travelled to Galway on Tuesday evening to identify the remains of Eileen and Evan who lived at Corrin Drive in Ballyhea for the last year and a half. They were originally from Churchtown, a few kilometres away in north Cork.

Ms Murphy’s parents, Eileen and Liam, live in a farmhouse outside Churchtown and the 26-year-old was the eldest of three children, sister of Valerie and Liam.

Superintendent Barry McPolin of Mallow station described the Murphy family as “law-abiding” citizens, who were well-liked.

“It’s a terrible loss to the family and wider community,” he said. “It’s shocking.”

The gardaí in Mallow are assisting with the investigation, which is being co-ordinated at the station in Ennistymon, Co Clare. All enquiries were referred o Garda headquarters in Dublin, where a spokesman said that the investigation was continuing.

A Garda source said all aspects of Ms Murphy’s last movements, “and her mental state” in the lead-up to her death and that of her son, would be checked. It is understood that she travelled to Galway with Evan on Monday, before taking a coach trip to the Cliffs of Moher on Tuesday.

They were last seen alive at 3.15pm on Tuesday and the alarm was raised shortly afterwards when a ranger saw them in the water, 650 metres below the top of the cliffs. Ms Murphy was pronounced dead at the scene and Evan was pronounced dead after efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful.

Their bodies were brought by boat to Doolin and were later transferred to Galway.

Evan was a pupil at the community pre-school in Ballyhea, where staff and parents expressed their shock following the tragedy.

Ms Murphy was an employee at the Kostal automotive plant outside New Twopothouse, where the Irish flag flew at half mast yesterday.