Today marks the eighth anniversary of a crime that shocked not only Cavan but the entire country.
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.
It emerged in the Anglo Celt this week that there are plans to demolish the house where the murders took place, with a memorial garden to be built in its place. The application was lodged with council planners around six weeks ago by Clodagh's grieving mum Mary Coll. Northern Sound FM made contact with Clodagh's sister, Jacqueline Connolly, and she issued us a statement on behalf of herself and her mother, Mary Coll.
They said they noted a quote on Facebook yesterday, in response to the Anglo Celt article. They said you will always have keyboard warriors, but somebody said: 'Why would you demolish a perfectly good home?' Jacqueline and Mary said it's not a home - it's a murder scene and that is why it is being demolished. The family said it doesn't reflect the good times that happened in the house, so it needs to go.
