A five-year-old boy and a 60-year-old woman have been killed in what Irish police have described as a 'reckless, callous and murderous' arson attack on a family home.
Bodies recovered from charred remains
The tragic discovery was made on Saturday evening in the town of Edenderry, County Offaly. Firefighters and emergency services pulled the bodies from the charred remains of a semi-detached house at Castleview Park at around 7.45pm.
A second woman, aged in her 50s, was rescued from the scene and transported to hospital by the National Ambulance Service. She is receiving treatment for serious injuries.
Gardai launch murder investigation
Superintendent Liam Geraghty confirmed that An Garda Síochána believes the fire was deliberately started. He stated the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown, launching a full murder investigation.
'This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home,' Supt Geraghty said. The scene has been declared a crime scene and is undergoing a detailed technical examination by the Garda technical bureau.
The remains of the deceased have been removed and post-mortem examinations will be carried out by Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.
Community and officials express devastation
The local community has been left reeling by the horrific incident. Councillor Claire Murray expressed the collective grief on Facebook, writing: 'It is hard to put into words how devastated people are. The loss of such innocent life is inexcusable... Edenderry is a darker place today.'
Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, strongly condemned the 'deliberate callous attack'. 'There is no place in a civilised society for such heinous violence,' he told RTÉ, joining the Garda appeal for information.
Appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage
The murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station. Officers are urgently appealing to the public for assistance.
They are keen to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park or adjoining roads between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday, December 7th, 2025.
Investigators have also asked for drivers who were in the area during that hour to check for any relevant dashcam video footage or images.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600 or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.
