Irish police have discovered notes and documents in the house where five members of the same family were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. Teachers Alan and Clodagh Hawe, along with their sons Liam, 13, Niall, 11, and Ryan, 6, were found in their home near Ballyjamesduff on Monday.
A note on the back door told people not to enter and to call the police. Gardaí said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths and that no firearms were used. Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll stated that the most likely scenario is that one person caused the deaths of the others.
The alarm was raised at about 10:45 local time on Monday when a relative called to the house and became suspicious. Mr Hawe was a deputy principal at Castlerahan National School, where his sons Niall and Ryan were pupils. Mrs Hawe taught at Oristown National School in County Meath.
Anne Foley, principal at St Mary's National School, described the news as a "terrible tragedy", adding that the children were "wonderful" and would be "greatly missed". The Catholic bishop of Kilmore, Leo O'Reilly, said the community was "deeply traumatised" and "numbed and bewildered".
Local councillor Paddy Smith said the community was "shell shocked" as the family were "very steady, hard-working". The school remained closed on Tuesday as teachers received support on how to talk to children about the tragedy.
