The awful incident in Cavan

[hollyisalovelyname]

My thoughts are with the relatives and friends of those who died.
Just awful.
May they find some consolation somewhere.

I don't believe for one minute that Alan Hawes was mentally ill as stated in The Sun.

Clodagh's mother has spoken out and this report is the main story on the front of today's independent. His fall from grace will be exposed at the inquest in October.

www.independent.ie/irish-news/exclusive-alan-hawe-was-about-to-experience-a-fall-from-grace-clodaghs-family-believes-36070710.html

I saw that honey.
Her mother and sister are raising funds for Cavan Lighthouse which is a family aid charity.
They also want to highlight the fact that although Alan murdered their daughter/ sister and grandchildren/ nephews because he was the last to die his family will inherit the estate of both parents.
They want a change in the law so that the murderer does not inherit.

Just saw on the paper, that today is the 1st year anniversary of the murder, hard to believe a year has gone by.

Thinking of Clodagh and her lovely boys today.

Clodagh's family have spoken out about the anniversary mass that someone organised for Alan Hawe. They're very upset over it.

www.independent.ie/irish-news/crime/no-amount-of-prayers-will-save-him-from-the-fires-of-hell-fury-as-mass-planned-for-killer-alan-hawe-36079959.html

I'm not surprised. They could have held a mass for him anywhere but to do it in the parish he slaughtered Clodagh and her boys? Fuckers whoever they are.

The inquest opens today.
Thinking of Clodagh's family and friends today.

Must be horrendous for Clodaghs mam and sister. Thinking of them today.

Just heard on the news the result of the inquest.
Unbelievable.
My heart goes out to all those who loved Clodagh and her boys.
Why??????

I could hardly bring myself to read the recent reports. Just heartbreaking all round. I still remember vividly the priests account of Christmas morning in the Hawes family home. God help the poor family left behind.

So he saw himself as a pillar of the community and saw his marriage breakdown as a fall from grace and he also had an issue with a work colleague.

Just heard on the radio that the verdict was unlawful killing. Is this different to murder?

It's so sad and awful for the family left behind.

A coroner's inquest can only decide on the cause of death - suicide, accidental, unlawful killing, etc. An unlawful killing verdict means Clodagh and the children were killed by someone. The coroner's report might name Alan Hawe specifically but not sure.

Murder requires a criminal trial of a living defendant so it can't happen in this case. You can't be posthumously tried for a crime.

Clodaghs poor mummy was so brave. I really don't know how she was able to attend. Inquests are never pleasant anyway but this...
He was a fucking animal.

The statement issued by Clodagh's family leads me to believe they did know why he may have committed the heinous murders of his lovely wife and beautiful children.

I feel sympathy for Alan's family too -,we can't choose our relatives and are not responsible for their appalling actions.

Someone posted a rumour in the comments on the BelTel Facebook page about the cause of the marriage breakdown. Can't speak for the veracity of the comment but it would explain why he felt he and his family couldn't bear the shame/embarrassment and that death would be preferable. I think the "why" is important; it speaks volumes that he saw the stain on his character as so detrimental as to make life not worth living, and that the wife and children were almost extensions of him as opposed to individuals in their own right.

I don't like the chat about the mental illness aspect. Plenty of people have mental health issues, but they successfully manage not to move all the family money into their own account before murdering their family, to ensure the assets don't go to their in-laws. No, there is something more here than blaming it on depression, however severe.

Oh Craic that's awful.
I agree re your remarks on the mental illness.
The notes, the money transfer ( I just saw that on your post) and the fact he killed the stronger first - he comes across quite rational ( in an evil way).

I never understood the money aspect, thanks Craic. It was most definitely calculated to the very last detail. Couldn't find the rumour on fb, I presume it was removed? I think sometimes we read or hear of something so awful it just never leaves us. I feel like that about this.

There's a post on the BT's fb from yesterday at 14:43, it's the top comment I'm referring to. I don't want to repeat it in case it's not true or this thread crops up a google search or something. The Irish sun says that apparently the source of "shame" is of a sexual nature, so there might be some truth to it.

In the other reports from the inquest he also moved furniture so he could move round the house faster. But yet his family are reliant on the opinion of a forensic psychologist who never met him that he was depressed and mentally ill. From what's come out in the last few months he just seems like an egotistical, selfish arsehole. There's something about this case that has made me so, so angry.

I've seen the comments now. I had been looking at another article. I don't know why, but I have the feeling Clodagh was the victim of prolonged domestic abuse. I must have read it somewhere, I think it was more implied though. If that rumour where true it would have come to light by now. Something was definitely developing within his school role.

I agree about the abuse, there were things that came out in August this year that painted that sort of picture, comments made by the sister I think. But I think the very fact we haven't heard that particular rumour (and that's all it is) before makes it or something like almost more likely to be true, given the nature of it. There's a lot of information that hasn't been released and it's logical to assume that's so as not to impact on the other vulnerable parties involved. It also explains the complete reversal of views of Clodagh's family once investigations began.

I'm torn between knowing it's no-one's business but also wanting to understand what drives someone to think that murdering their entire family is the best option open to them.

I'm conflicted too, it feels very intrusive to even try to contemplate what has gone so wrong here. But I do feel that the truth needs to be heard for Clodagh and her children.

I agree with you Maudlin, I feel using mental illness has almost exonerated him, ie. he didn't really know what he was doing.

If Clodagh's family do want the truth known and the contents of the letters to be made public, then I hope they can arrange for that to happen, I hope they are legally allowed to do it. If they prefer that it does not get out in the public domain, then I hope the media will respect that too.

If that rumour is true, than it throws a whole different perspective to the situation, from the murdered who claimed he was suffering from psychosis. I just find that so calculating and manipulative of him !

Murderer not murdered

I recall the anger over the funeral arrangements, now it seems that Hawe himself left very clear instructions detailing that he was not to be given a Catholic funeral.