Tragedy as older brother ‘murders twins before committing suicide’

Two nine-year-old twins, who died in a suspected murder-suicide along with an older brother, have been described as “loving, energetic and full of fun”. The bodies of Thomas and Patrick O’Driscoll (pictured above) were discovered by another sibling in their detached bungalow near Charleville, Ireland on Thursday. Their brother Jonathan, who was in his 20s, was found an hour later about 10 miles away in woods near the river Awbeg, just outside Buttevant.

This is a terrible tragedy for the family, the school and the whole community. We are deeply saddened by this event. Our sympathy and thoughts are with the family and friends at this terrible time.

Sheila Cagney, of the Banogue National School in Croom

Unconfirmed reports suggested Thomas and Patrick had been stabbed multiple times in a frenzied attack, while Jonathan is believed to have taken his own life. Sheila Cagney of the Banogue National School in Croom, where the twins had been for just over a year, said teachers and pupils were trying to come to terms with the tragedy. Post-mortem examinations are to be carried out on the three family members at Cork University Hospital.

Europe twins murder-suicide