TELL OF HORROR AT KILLINGS ..Our community same’
breaking it is difficult to comprehend.
“My thoughts are with the family and the local community as they deal with this unimaginable crime. Gardaí and other services are supporting them at this difficult time.”
It comes as people living in the area praised the Gardai for their efforts and said they gave “110 per cent” during the horrific ordeal.
One neighbour, who spoke to The Star on the condition of anonymity, said she heard some shouting but assumed it was a family squabble and never expected the horror which unfolded.
Argument
The woman, who was crying and shaking at her front door, told us: “We all thought it was just an argument. Most people on the road assumed it was a fight between family.
“We had to tell our kids this morning that their two friends that they play with every day had gone to heaven.
“This is like something you’d hear about happening in America — not here.
“They were such lovely kids. Christy was a lovely little fella, he was a little boys boy.
“He loved Man United and his twin Chelsea had a little cheeky face and she’d stick out her tongue.
“I’m not sure if it was a paramedic or a guard but I saw somebody pick up one of the kids who was covered in blood and rush them over to the ambulance.
“Everybody around here knows each other.” Another said: “I think people would have rushed out sooner if they knew how bad things were.”
A grandad who asked just to be referred to as Peter, said: “It’s devastating for the whole community. Them kids played with my grandkids.
“I was only talking to them the other day. To see a child being thrown from the window is … those kids are dead.
“The family were lovely. The kids were only playing out on the road on Saturday evening. They were lovely, beautiful kids.
“It was so difficult being so close to it yet we couldn’t do anything about it and to find out this morning that they had passed away. It’s so horrible and tragic.
Moral
“The moral of the story is that from the top to the bottom of this road people are affected because they were beautiful kids. No one knew the extent of it.
“How will anybody ever be able to live in that house again?
“The guards tried their best to save those children. I think the family needs every bit of support they can get.
“How does the teacher in the morning tell all the children in the classroom they’re not coming back? Everybody in the community is really feeling it. That goes from a child right up. Everybody is heartbroken.”
Fianna Fail councillor Charlie O’Connor, who was at the scene, said: “It’s terrible … the community is in deep shock and it will affect the neighbours and those in the wider Tallaght community.
“People are reacting with deep shock ... It is a real community tragedy.”
Sinn Fein Councillor Dermot Richardson added: “People are shocked and numb from what’s happened in this tragedy. I just think we need to pull together and support the family and the community, the wider community.
“There’s children going to school tomorrow that are not going to have their friends in their class — so there should be support services put in place for the local schools around the area affected by this tragedy.”