Today marks the eighth anniversary of a crime that shocked not only Cavan but the entire country eight years ago.
Alan Hawe, a deputy principal at Castlerahan National School, murdered his 39-year-old wife Clodagh and their three children - 13-year-old Liam, 11-year-old Niall and 6-year-old Ryan - at their home in Barconey, near Ballyjamesduff. Alan then took his own life.
The anniversary co-insides with a backdrop of growing pressure - on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris - who are both being urged to publish a Serious Crime Review into the handling of the subsequent murder investigation. Finalised in 2023, for "operational reasons", it remains unpublished despite repeated requests from Clodagh's surviving family members.
In the statement to Northern Sound, Jacqueline and Mary are calling for the serious case review findings to be published. They say it's very important, in order to help other women and children. They say that investigation was done over four years, and tax-payers money was used to do it. So it needs to be published.
They also want a reopening of the inquest that took place in December 2017, to consider and reflect new information revealed since. Jacqueline and Mary told Northern Sound they are asking people to support them in succeeding in getting a new inquest and having the findings published. They also say they are very grateful for the genuine support they always get at this time of year, especially from their locality and Virginia.
