A couple who were found dead at their Dublin home yesterday morning, Wednesday, October 21, had lost two of their children in a devastating fire nine years ago.
The bodies of Jamie McGinn, 38, and Biddy O’Brien, 40, were discovered at the house in Cois Cairn on the north side of Bray, Co. Dublin, at around 8 am. The body of Mr. McGinn was found in the front garden while Ms. O’Brien’s remains were in an upstairs bedroom.
Ms. O’Brien did not suffer any obvious injuries, but Mr. McGinn had what appeared to be knife wounds to his body when emergency services arrived on the scene.
Gardaí were attempting last night to establish the exact chain of events that led to the two deaths. They have not yet ruled out foul play in the death of Mr. McGinn. However, detectives are not looking for a third party, the Irish Daily Mail understands.
Ms. O’Brien was left with permanent injuries following a fire in Clondalkin, west Dublin, in 2017 in which she and Mr. McGinn’s two children perished. Holly, three, and four-year-old Jordan were both killed in the blaze, which engulfed the Cluainin Cronan apartments.
Biddy’s pregnant cousin Annmarie O’Brien, 27, also died in the fire, as did her two-year-old daughter Hannah-Paris. Biddy was so badly injured in the fire that she was put in an induced coma by doctors to prevent her dying of shock.
She woke to the news that her two children had died in the blaze.
With regard to the current investigation, security sources told the Mail that gardaí cannot rule out anything until postmortem examinations are completed on the bodies of the couple.
The source said: "This is a tragic situation. Gardaí have two people dead and are now trying to figure out if the man was attacked before he died or if the injuries were self-inflicted. The injuries were consistent with a knife attack. Toxicology reports are also going to be key here. Gardaí have to know exactly what was in their systems before they died.
"They have also been canvassing neighbours to see if anyone had heard anything or if there had been any issues at the home in the days or even hours leading up to their bodies being found. Jamie’s body had quite obvious signs of violence. He had obviously been through a lot with the death of his children, so it’s important for gardaí to figure out if these were defensive wounds or if they were self-inflicted," the source explained.
The family of Ms. O’Brien paid tribute last night to the mother of two, saying her world fell apart when her two children died. Her cousin Margaret O’Brien said: "I can’t get over this today, Biddy, but you always told me this world was no good to you without your babies.
"I will miss you every day, but I know you’re back with Holly and Jordan now. Give them a big hug and kiss from me. I will always remember the good times we had and all the adventures we went on with the children. You were all so happy, and you were the best mammy and always like a big sister to me growing up. I cherish that forever. Please mind your daddy and family. It’s going to be another hard few days for them."
Speaking yesterday, Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady said there was a sense of shock in the area once news filtered through of the deaths.
"It is absolutely devastating for the community here within the area," he said on RTÉ Radio’s News at One. "I think [there is] a real sense of disbelief that a tragedy such as this is unfolding. Speaking to a lot of the locals here, [there is] just a real sense of shock and disbelief. My thoughts are with the family, the wider community here and indeed the extended family of both victims."
Mr. Brady said that the couple was well-known within the community.
"I’m conscious there is extended family here within the estate as well, so real shock within the community. These people would have been well known in the community. It is very, very much a tight-knit community here. Everyone knows everyone."
During the children’s funeral Mass in 2017, then-parish priest at St. Anne’s Church in Shankill, Fr John O’Connor, said no words of his could soften the blow of the tragedy.
"Without doubt you are God’s toughest soldiers, and you can be sure you are not alone in the battle of life," he said. "Now you have five more angels in heaven to accompany you and bear the cross."
Fr O’Connor informed the congregation that a small comfort to Holly and Jordan’s father, Jamie, was that his children are together. He said: "I spoke with Jamie, and he told me how much Jordan and Holly loved their mammy. And how much she loved them.
"Jamie is obviously deeply upset by the death of his two beautiful children. But he is happy they are together with God. They are together, they are not alone, and that’s very important to Jamie. And he wants his children to know that he will look after their mammy."
In a statement on the deaths of Mr. McGinn and Ms. O’Brien, a Garda spokesman said: "Gardaí from the Serious Crime Unit, Dublin Metropolitan Region East, continue to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of two bodies at a residential property in Bray, Co. Dublin.
"Shortly after 8 am, gardaí were alerted following the discovery of the bodies of a male aged in his 30s and a female aged in her 40s at a residence on Old Connaught Avenue, Bray. Both individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene.
"The bodies of both have been removed to the city morgue at Whitehall, where a postmortem examination will be completed by State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis over the course of this evening and tomorrow.
"The results of the postmortem examination will assist gardaí in determining the course of the investigation going forward. A Senior Investigating Officer is leading the investigation from an incident room at Dún Laoghaire Garda Station. Family Liaison Officers have been appointed to support the bereaved families."
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.