Twin nine-year-old boys attacked while changing out of their school clothes at their home in Charleville, Co Cork sustained more than 40 stab wounds each, an inquest has heard.
The wounds were inflicted by their brother Jonathan O’Driscoll (21) who took his own life less than an hour later.
Speaking after an inquest into their deaths at Mallow Courthouse, the boys’ mother Helen O’Driscoll called on anyone suffering with depression to seek help.
“We are broken-hearted. Every day is like a million years and I suppose it will be like that for the rest of our lives.
“If I had one message for any children, boys and girls, adults out there suffering with depression and sickness, don’t wait for their parents to be sick and broken-hearted like us. There is somebody out there that will listen to you. For God’s sake, before your parents end up like us, get that help while you are able,” she said.
The bodies of Paddy and Thomas O’Driscoll were found in separate bedrooms at Deerpark, Charleville just before 5.15pm on September 4th, 2014.
At 6.30pm, the body of the twins’ older brother Jonathan was found at the banks of the Awbeg River in nearby Buttevant. Two knives were found in the centre of the river.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis told the inquest Paddy O’Driscoll fought for his life, resulting in wounds “classed as defensive”.
Both boys sustained “rapidly fatal” injuries “incompatible with life”, Dr Curtis said.
Paddy sustained multiple stab wounds to his lungs, heart, trachea and jugular vein. Thomas, also known as TomTom, sustained multiple stab wounds to his back and left side, one of which measured 7cm in depth.
Jonathan, the eldest of the five O’Driscoll children, had collected his four younger brothers, Paddy, Thomas, Jimmy (5) and Martin (4) from crèche at 3.15pm that day. He brought them to the park and bought them sweets before driving them home.
Neighbour Michael Stokes told the inquest he was working outside when he was approached by one of his young neighbours.
“Small Jimmy walked over to the ditch and said ‘my brother killed my brothers,’” Mr Stokes said. “I thought it was a joke. Jimmy caught my hand and said ‘I’ll show you.’”
The youngest brother Martin was walking behind them, Mr Stokes said.
When he saw bloodstains and a body, he grabbed the children and ran from the house.
Garda Owen Boyle said he received an emergency call from another neighbour, Tommy Meehan, who was “in a distressed state” at 5.15pm.
Mr Meehan told Garda Boyle “come down quick the children are dead. They are in the house, he stabbed them”.
Garda Boyle was accompanied by Garda Geraldine Keohane, who has been unable to return to work since the "events of that terrible day", Coroner Dr Michael Kennedy said.
The jury returned an open verdict in relation to the death of the twin boys and ruled that Jonathan “took his own life”.
Speaking after the jury was delivered, Ms O’Driscoll said the inquest had helped clarify events.
“It’s a step more for us to get on with life, at least now we know what happened and we know there is no one really to blame only the good God up there that wanted him,” she said.
* If you need support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org