Irish police are probing a suspected murder-suicide after the bodies of a man and a young boy were discovered at two separate domestic residences in west Dublin on Thursday morning.
Early Morning Discovery in Cherry Orchard
Emergency services were called to a house in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot at approximately 8:30am on Thursday, 8th January 2026. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of a man, understood to be 48 years old, inside the property. Initial reports suggest the man's body was found in a shed at the rear of the address.
Second Tragic Find in Clondalkin
As part of their immediate follow-up inquiries, Gardaí attended a second domestic residence in the Clondalkin area. There, they made a second tragic discovery: the body of an 11-year-old boy. The two locations are both in west Dublin, with the Ballyfermot address in Dublin 10 and the Clondalkin address in Dublin 22.
In an official statement, An Garda Síochána confirmed they are "investigating all of the circumstances" surrounding the two deaths. Both scenes have been sealed off and preserved for detailed forensic examination by the force's Technical Bureau.
Investigation and Post-Mortem Arrangements
The State Pathologist's Office has been notified and the coroner is involved in the case. The body of the adult male was removed to the city morgue, while the child's body remained at the scene pending formal examination procedures.
Post-mortem examinations are due to be arranged, the results of which will be crucial in determining the precise course of the police investigation. The inquiry is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer.
Local authorities have not released the names of the deceased, and the exact nature of the relationship between the man and the boy has not been formally confirmed by Gardaí at this early stage. The community in both Ballyfermot and Clondalkin has been left shocked by the tragic events.
