'People won't recover' - Funeral details announced for victims of Edenderry arson attack

Funeral details have been announced for four-year-old Tadgh Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt Mary Holt who were killed in what has been described by Gardaí as a "callous and murderous" attack at the weekend.

On Saturday December 6, little Tadhg Farrell was visiting his grandmother and his grand-aunt Mary Holt at Castleview Park, Edenderry, county Offaly.

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The Christmas Tractor Run took place in Edenderry at 6pm, attended by over 250 tractors raising money for local charitable causes.

Shortly before 7.45pm, this family home at Castleview Park was attacked. The remains of Tadhg and his grandaunt Mary were discovered in the front room of the house where the fire was deliberately started. Tadhg’s grandmother continues to receive hospital treatment for serious burn injuries.

On Wednesday night, hundreds  turned out to the event at Derry Rovers AFC, which was arranged as a “stance against the drugs scourge in our community".

James Doyle, vice chairman of Derry Rovers, said what happened was “absolutely devastating” for the local community, adding: “This town will probably won’t recover from what’s happened here, people won’t recover.”

He said some of the family, including Tadhg’s uncle, played for the club and they wanted to come together to show “we’re thinking of him, and his family”

But also as a show of defiance against what he describes as an “influx of crime and violence," before adding, “We’re just trying to come together as one, just to say enough’s enough.”

Candle and flowers left outside a property at Castleview Park, where four-year-old Tadhg Farrell and his great aunt Mary Holt were killed in a suspected arson attack on Saturday

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The vigil started with prayers from Deacon Paul Wyer, who said the “violent and unexpected and untimely” nature of Tadhg and Ms Holt’s deaths made “their passing even more tragic and sorrowful”.

Those gathered then walked the perimeter of the football field four times, a lap for each year of Tadhg’s life.

Ms Holt was remembered as someone who was “always smiling”.

Her neighbours, Francis Judge and Mary Daly, said they came to pay their respects adding the neighbourhood has been in a “very bad way” since the attack.

Funeral arrangements have now been released on RIP.ie, where hundreds of people from all over the country have left their heartfelt and sincere condolences.

Mary has been described by those who knew her as warm, caring, and who always had a smile. 

She is predeceased by her parents Micháel and Peg, sister Caroline and brother-in-law Pat.

Mary’s tragic passing has left her family, friends & work colleagues in Ofalia House devastated and heartbroken. She will be sadly missed and forever remembered by her loving family: brothers and sisters Michael, Johnny, Margaret, Christy, Declan, Pauline and Brendan, their husbands, wives and partners, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives, friends and especially her work colleagues in Ofalia House, Edenderry.

Details of Mary's funeral will be released in due course.

Members of the community gathered at Derry Rovers AFC for a candlelit vigil walk

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Four-year-old Tadgh has been described as the sweetest little boy whose sudden and tragic death has left his family heartbroken and devastated.

He will be forever missed and remembered by his loving family: mother Shannon, dad Aaron, grandmothers Karen and Pauline, granddad Richard, sisters Ella Brooke, Heidi Lee and Nevaeh, great-grandmother Marian, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends.

Tadgh will repose at Larkin's Funeral Home, Edenderry (R45 VK24) today, Thursday, from 4pm to 7pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Friday at 12 noon in St. Mary's Church, Edenderry, followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery. 

House is requested private please.

On Wednesday, Gardaí released CCTV footage of the attack that appears to show two hooded individuals smashing a window before setting an object on fire and throwing it into the property.

Investigators released the footage as part of a renewed appeal for information.

To date, the investigation team has carried out more than 150 investigative jobs, 250 house-to-house inquiries, retrieved more than 60 pieces of CCTV and taken more than 100 written documents.

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The force acknowledged the support shown by the local community in Edenderry and the wider area to the family and to investigators.

The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station, in particular Edenderry Garda station.