Edenderry community to go on 'walk of light against drugs' after attack kills two in house fire

Four-year-old Tadhg Farrell, and Mary Holt, 60, died in the house fire in Edenderry Co Offaly on Saturday. Picture: Garda Info

The community of Edenderry is to publicly protest the scourge of drugs in its midst, as gardaí probe whether little Tadhg Farrell and his grandaunt Mary Holt were killed in a reprisal attack over a recent prison row.

The probe into the deaths of the four-year-old boy and 60-year-old Ms Holt in an arson attack at a house in Castleview Park in the Offaly community continued last night, as Taoiseach Micheál Martin vowed those responsible would be held to account.

The attack has been linked to an organised crime gang believed to be involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands.

“This is a savage, callous, and reckless attack on a family home that has led to their death,” said Mr Martin. “The level of inhumanity is difficult to comprehend. This violence will stop in our society."

No funeral arrangements had been published for Ms Holt or her grandnephew last night. Her sister Pauline, Tadhg’s grandmother, remained seriously ill in hospital yesterday. 

It is understood all three were in a downstairs room when a petrol bomb was thrown at the house at around 7.30pm on Saturday evening. It is understood that the house had been targeted previously. The dead woman worked nearby in a care home.

A local soccer club, Derry Rovers, has organised a “walk of light against drugs” for tomorrow night at 8pm.

A club statement on social media said: “A black cloud has fell on our community and we are asking to come and walk with us in Brian's Park running track. Join us as we light the night for our community and stand together. 

"Every candle, every step and every voice matters. Walk with us and stand united.” 

It has emerged that investigations will include looking at whether a row between two inmates at the Midlands Prison in recent days was a possible motive for the horror attack. Prison sources confirmed the incident involving two men with links to Edenderry occurred last week. Minor injuries were suffered in the incident.

The Taoiseach said “society and the country is numbed and shocked at this level of savage violence”, noting that this is not the first attack where “the use of an accelerant appears to be the key weapon”.

The scene of the house fire in Edenderry. Picture: Aisling Hyland/PA

He noted that justice minister Jim O’Callaghan is “determined” to stop attacks using accelerants, and it will be discussed at Cabinet level in the future.

Mr O’Callaghan said if a link to an organised crime gang involved in drugs is proven correct, “it just confirms that drugs are destroying societies and people who get involved in drugs need to know that they will wreak devastation, not just on themselves, but on those close to them and families in the area."

Gardaí appealed to anyone who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park or adjoining roads between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday, or who was driving in the area and may have dashcam footage, to contact the incident room at Tullamore garda station on 057 932 7600.