Mother of tragic Skeffington brothers recalls day of horror at family home

The mother of two brothers who died in a murder-suicide has called for greater education and awareness around mental health problems.

Carmel Skeffington recalled the day in July of last year when she and her husband returned home from shopping to find that their 20-year-old son Shane Michael had stabbed his nine-year-old brother, Brandon, and then taken his own life.

Speaking on the Today with Sean O’Rourke show on RTÉ radio, Ms Skeffington said they realised something was wrong with Shane Michael about two months before the tragedy when he had attacked his father out of the blue.