Edenderry in Co Offaly “probably won’t recover” from the deaths of four-year-old Tadhg Farrell and his great-aunt Mary Holt, one of the organisers of a candlelit vigil walk has said.
Hundreds turned out to the event at Derry Rovers AFC on Wednesday night, which was arranged as a “stance against the drugs scourge in our community”.
The club grounds back on to Castleview Park, where Tadhg was visiting his grandmother and grandaunt on Saturday night.
He and Ms Holt (60) were discovered dead after the home was set alight, in what gardaí have described as a “reckless, callous and murderous” arson attack.
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James Doyle, vice-chairman of Derry Rovers, said what happened was “absolutely devastating” for the local community, adding: “This town probably won’t recover from what’s happened here; people won’t recover.”
The vigil started with prayers from Deacon Paul Wyer, who said the “violent and unexpected and untimely” nature of Tadhg and Ms Holt’s deaths made “their passing even more tragic and sorrowful”.
Those gathered then walked the perimeter of the football field four times, a lap for each year of Tadhg’s life.
Tadhg’s grandmother continues to receive treatment in hospital for serious burn injuries.
– PA
