Gardaí probe Roscommon deaths

Gardaí were today investigating the deaths of a husband and wife at an isolated farmhouse in Roscommon.

The couple, who were both in their 50s, were found dead at the two-storey house at around 7pm yesterday.

The woman's body was found in the kitchen of the farmhouse while the man's was in a hallway. A firearm was discovered nearby.

Officers were not looking for anybody else in connection with the deaths.

The house was sealed off and technical examinations were taking place.

The couple were later named as Brian and Ann Flynn, of Donamon, near Athleague.

Police Inspector Paul Glynn said their bodies were found by their son when he called to the house at around 7pm on Sunday.

A shotgun found beside Mr Flynn had been discharged.

"It is highly unlikely that we will be looking for a third party in this," he said.

"It appears that something happened in the house and at both of them died. Nobody else appears to have been involved."

Inspector Glynn said the couple had one daughter and two sons.

"They are very distraught, as are the friends and neighbours," he said.

"Local gardaí know this family and there was no indication that anything like this would happen.

"We are all baffled as to why such a tragedy should have happened.

"At the moment we just cannot believe that a thing like that could happen to this family.

"This is a typical family. Nothing at all indicated that there would be a tragedy like this."