Family gathers to weep and embrace after murder-suicide claims brothers in Charleville

As the bright autumnal sunshine faded over the O’Driscoll family home yesterday evening, the set of swings and a trampoline where twins Thomas and Patrick would often have played, stood in grotesque contrast to the Garda tape which surrounded the entrance.

Blue flashing lights from the squad cars lit up the windows behind which their bodies lay.

The house is one which thousands of motorists would stream past at speed every day as it is the long straight road leading out of Charleville on the way to Limerick.