‘There are no words’: Shock over deaths of children in separate weekend tragedies

Condolences are pouring in after two separate tragedies across the country this weekend in which four children lost their lives.

An investigation is under way after Gardaí were called to a “violent incident” at a house in Tallaght. Three siblings, an 18-year-old girl and eight-year-old twins, were brought to Crumlin Hospital by ambulance when they were pronounced dead in the early hours of this morning.

According to reports today, another boy, a 14-year-old was also injured in the incident. He remains in hospital this afternoon. Meanwhile the mother of the children who was uninjured is also receiving medical attention.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and is currently being detained at Tallaght Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Some of those leading the outpouring of condolences is Andrew McGinley, whose three children were killed in January 2020 by their mother and Andrew’s wife. Deirdre Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Taking to Twitter, alongside other messages, McGinley wrote “My thoughts are with a grieving family in Tallaght. May love for the children conquer anger.”

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In a separate incident, the son of horse racing trainer Henry de Bromhead died in a horse racing accident at Glenbeigh races in Co Kerry. 13-year-old Jack de Bromhead, who has a twin sister, a promising young jockey fell from his horse at the flapper races on Rossbeigh beach. It’s believed the teenager fell from his horse near the water’s edge.

Horse Racing Ireland’s Suzanne Eade issued a statement today offering her condolences to the family: “Like everybody in the horse racing and pony racing community, I want to offer my deepest condolences to his parents Henry and Heather, his sisters Mia and Georgia and extended family, on the tragic loss of their beloved Jack.

“Jack may have been only 13 but he was already incredibly popular in the racing community. His family and friends, his pony racing colleagues and all those who lives he touched are in our thoughts today during this numbing, devastating tragedy.”

On social media, the hashtag RIP Jack was trending with others writing messages of support to the family.  “It’s impossible to put into words the since of grief and loss that is being felt by everyone involved so please give them time to mourn” wrote one well-wisher, while Limerick Races tweeted: “RIP Jack taken from this world far too soon. Our thoughts & prayers are with the De Bromhead family at this difficult time.”