‘Never once was there a cross word between Michael and George’

The woman who lost her husband and her brother in last week’s Carlow murder-suicide said there was “never once a cross word” between them.

Hilda Jordan insisted there was no row over land between her husband Michael Jordan and her brother George Rothwell.

She also dismissed speculation in some media that religion played a part in why her husband shot her brother dead before taking his own life.

Mrs Jordan buried the two men within hours on Monday, after deciding to wake them together in a funeral home in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.

Gardaí are investigating why Mr Jordan, aged 51, armed himself with his shotgun early last Wednesday and walked over to Mr Rothwell’s neighbouring farm in Ballycormack, 6km outside Bagenalstown, and shot his 67-year-old brother-in-law dead.

A number of local sources told media there was a land dispute between the two men and Garda sources confirmed they were investigating this as a possible motive.

“There was definitely no row over land. In fact, Michael was winding down on work,” Ms Jordan told a local newspaper.

In an interview with The Nationalist, she said: “Farming at Ballycormack was between myself and George, and Michael had his land to farm at Glenaharry but he would always be there helping George if he ever needed him.

“We all worked in harmony together — never once was there a cross word between Michael and George.

“George was always a friend to Michael and a great help to Michael in every way, and Michael to George.”

Mrs Jordan said it may never emerge what led to the murder: “It’s impossible to know what happened, we’ll probably never know… it’s one of those cases. Something happened to Michael and… I don’t know… we probably never will.”

She dismissed hurtful speculation that a religious divide led to the double tragedy. The Jordans, a Catholic family, and the Rothwells, members of the Church of Ireland, have lived side by side for many decades. “Religion never came in between the two families. My father Fred was a great friend of Michael’s father Willie. I remember when Willie died very suddenly one summer, my father said: ‘Today, I’ve lost my best friend… religion never came into it’.”

She described her husband as a “very quiet, modest man” who could be “very witty”.

However, she said he was prone to worrying: “Michael was a worrier. There are lots of stresses and strains in farming nowadays and very draconian rules and regulations. Michael would take things very seriously.”

Mrs Jordan praised the support she had received from local people, including practical help on the farms.

She also thanked the support she received from local gardaí.