Family speak of father’s mental illness

THE children of Jim and Marie Quigley told of how they had lived their ‘whole lives’ with their father’s mental illness.

In a statement released after the double inquest, on behalf of Kieran, Sonya, Mark and Gavin Quigley, the grieving siblings said:

‘We thank all our family and friends for their continued support and we know they walk this sad journey with us everyday. We thank too, the relevant agencies who assisted in the intermediate aftermath of this tragedy.’

‘ The sense of losing both parents is overwhelming, and we are living with this tragedy every minute of every day. We can only pray that time will ease our heartache and heal our souls.’

The statement added: ‘We hope that people can understand what we have been through,’ said the family as they appealed for privacy.

‘We lived with our father’s mental illness all our lives. In recent years our father had some major physical health problems, and coupled with the enormous medication, along with his mental health problems, we know now he was beyond helping.’

They described him as ‘a loving father and husband, and Marie a dearly loved and devoted wife and mother, who supported Jim throughout his mental illness, and that is why she isn’t here today.’

‘Mental illness is a form of disease which is sometimes not visibly noticeable, and which this country is rampant with, but it should not be ignored.’

Closing the inquest, Coroner Ronan Maguire expressed his deep sympathy to the family, saying that their loss was an ‘unspeakable tragedy.’