Parade tribute for victims of house fire

A MINUTE’S silence was observed at the start of the St Patrick’s Day parade in Drogheda yesterday in memory of the three brothers who died tragically in a house fire in the Co Louth town on Monday morning.

Hundreds of people who gathered in the centre of Drogheda for the annual parade stood in silence as the organisers of the event paid tribute to the three young victims of the tragedy.

Drogheda mayor, Councillor Frank Maher, described the incident as the biggest tragedy in Drogheda in years.

Three members of the McDonagh family died when a fire destroyed their home in the Moneymore estate located on the north side of the town in the early hours of Monday morning.

The victims have been confirmed as brothers, Martin, aged 21, Tony, aged 16 and 8-year-old James.

Another brother, Eddie, aged 13, who was forced to jump from a first-floor bedroom window in order to escape the inferno, remains in a critical but stable condition at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin. It is understood he is being treated for injuries including extensive burns to his body and smoke inhalation.

The children’s parents, who were also at home when the fire broke out were treated in a Dublin hospital for their injuries.

The father, Anthony McDonagh was discharged yesterday afternoon from St James’s Hospital where he had been receiving treatment for burns as well as smoke inhalation and shock.

His wife, Kathleen, remains in the intensive care unit of St James’s, although her injuries were last night described by a hospital spokesperson as “not life-threatening”.

Funeral arrangements for the victims are not expected to be finalised until later today as the family await news of the survivors.

Garda forensic experts spent yesterday carrying out a detailed examination of the two-storey local authority home in a bid to establish the cause of the fatal fire which broke out shortly before 7.45am on Monday.

It is believed the blaze started in the downstairs living room which was used as a bedroom by the parents at night-time.

The couple have 11 children, six of whom live in the family’s Moneymore home. Fortunately, their two young daughters — Caroline, aged 11, and Lisa, aged 9, were staying with relatives on the night of the tragedy.