Counselling is to be made available today to classmates of Cork Institute of Technology students Cliona Magner and Wayne Roche, whose bodies were found on St Valentine's night following a murder and suicide.
The dead girl's father, Mr Pat Magner, discovered the bodies shortly after 8.45 p.m. last Friday night at a rented house in Cedar Grove, Bishopstown, Cork, which the pair shared.
Wayne Roche (20) shot his girlfriend, Cliona (20), in the head before turning the gun on himself, Garda sources said. It is believed the bodies were in the bedroom of the house for up to 24 hours before they were found.
Friends of the couple say the pair were together in public as recently as last Wednesday night, at the Outpost pub in Bishopstown.
Ms Lorna Lyons, a classmate of the deceased, described Cliona and Wayne as "the perfect couple" who were always smiling and joking. She didn't see anything different in their demeanour last Wednesday, despite subsequent media reports that the pair had split up three weeks ago.
"They were bright and lively - the perfect couple. They have been sharing the house since the start of the college term in September. They were going out with each other over a year."
The deceased grew up in the same area in Fermoy, Co Cork, but only started dating in the last 12 months. They moved in to the rented house in Bishopstown with a couple of other friends last September to be within walking distance of college.
Meanwhile, students at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), where the pair studied, are to be offered counselling today to help them come to terms with the tragedy.
Student union representatives at the college held an emergency meeting with CIT director, Dr Patrick Kelleher, over the weekend to ensure that support services would be in place today for grieving classmates of Wayne and Cliona.
CIT Students' Union president, Mr Gearóid Hogan, said yesterday students were "shocked and numb" following the news. "In all my time in college I have never experienced anything like this. The students just keeping ringing me and they are very upset. Everyone is united in grief and we will make sure that everyone who needs help gets it.
"CIT is unusual in that everyone knows everyone else. I can't believe this has happened on our doorstep. Our sympathy is with the families."
Representatives of the college laid floral tributes and candles at the front gate of the house in Bishopstown on Saturday afternoon.
Ms Magner was a mechanical engineering student in the second year of her degree.
She had a love of show-jumping and was a member of Hornibrook Riding School, just outside Fermoy.
Mr Roche was in his first year of a catering degree at the college. He played Gaelic football with Grange club near his home in Gurrane, Fermoy.
Fermoy parish priest, Father Tony O'Brien, said words failed to sum up the emotions of locals in the small north Cork town. Prayers were offered in memory of the young couple at Masses in the area yesterday.
The couple's bodies were removed from the house in Bishopstown on Saturday. A post-mortem examination was carried out later at Cork University Hospital by the deputy State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy. The house was examined by a team of forensic experts. A rifle was recovered from the premises.