Grandad ‘lost for words’ at vigil to remember Tallaght stabbing siblings

Martin McDonagh was among the throng of mourners who wept, prayed and paid silent tribute to the children whose lives came to an abrupt end early on Sunday at their home in the Rossfield estate.

“It’s good of them to come,” Mr McDonagh told sundayworld.com about the large crowds who gathered to support the family and remember the children.

“I’m lost for words at the moment, but it helps a small bit,” he said.

The housing estate came to a standstill as people gathered outside the terraced house to mourn their loss.

Mourners released balloons, including those fashioned after white doves, and dropped off floral tributes, teddy bears and a collection of toy cars at a makeshift shrine in front of the house that remains sealed off as forensic investigators continue to investigate the crime scene.

A garden wall lined with votive candles bore hand-drawn tributes from local children with simple, heart-broken messages, including: “We miss you Chelsea and Christy.”

Still wearing their school uniforms, schoolmates of the twins wept openly as they stared in disbelief at posters bearing the smiling images of Lisa, Chelsea and Christy under the caption ‘Our Best Friends’ and ‘Our Three Angels’, while Whitney Houston’s And I Will Always Love You played softly in the background.

“All we can say is it’s heart-breaking,” said a female relative of the family who did not want to be named.

Neighbours from the local housing estate and across Tallaght braved the pelting rain to pay tribute to the victims and to offer their condolences.

“We don’t really know the family but we’re here to support them,” said Niamh Finglas (23), who lives a short distance away from the family home in the nearby Brookfield estate.

“I haven’t got it out of my head since I heard about it,” she said.

“My stomach was turning. I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before,” she said. “It’s crazy.”

Keith Doherty, (27), from Tallaght and his partner Shannon McSherry (26) who lives in the Rossfield estate, brought their seven-month-old son Frankie James, along to show solidarity with the grieving family.

“We’re all in shock,” he said. “It’s the worst tragedy to hit Tallaght,” he said.

“I didn’t know the family personally but a lot of people made it their business to come out and support them.

“Hopefully they can take some comfort from it,” he said.

“It’s awful, especially when you have kids of your own,” he added.

Ms McSherry said the full impact of the tragedy is still sinking in with her younger sisters who knew the Cawley twins and were among the heartbroken children at the vigil.