Father killed daughters and committed suicide
A father-of-two died in a horrific fireball today after strangling his daughters in the family home.
Unemployed John Butler, aged 43, was killed after dousing his car in petrol and driving it at high speed into a ditch.
The triple death murder-suicide near Ballycotton on the south coast of Ireland left the fishing village numb with sadness.
Detectives believe the former steel worker and builder strangled Zoe, aged seven, and Ella, aged two, in the living room of their home after wife Oonagh left for work in Cork city this morning.
Neighbours and teachers in the local school Scoil Realt na Mara raised concerns with local gardaí called to deal with the crash after Ella failed to turn up at school.
“It was a fireball,” a senior investigator said.
“The car went on fire immediately on impact, in a ditch.”
Within about 10 minutes of gardaí arriving on the scene of the burning car accident officers discovered the little girls dead in the family home.
The crash happened about two miles from the house on a straight stretch of a road known locally as the bog road between Ballycotton and Shanagarry.
Derry Keogh, principal at Scoil Realt na Mara, issued a statement on behalf of the board of management, staff and pupils expressing their deep shock and sadness.
“We learned this morning of the death of one of our pupils and other family members,” Mr Keogh said.
“This is a terrible tragedy for the family, the school and our community. We are deeply saddened by these events.
“Our sympathy and thoughts are with the family and friends at this terrible time.”
Mr Butler’s wife was from the well-known O’Riordain family which have been heavily involved in fishing out of Ballycotton for decades.
The father-of-two was originally from Cobh and worked for years in the Irish Steel Plant in the area up until it closed in 2001. He moved to Ballycotton after marrying about 10 years ago.
People who knew the family said there were no outward signs of ill health. He was not in the care of social services.
John Mulvihill, a Labour councillor in Cobh and a former football coach, trained Mr Butler as young GAA player.
“That I knew anyway, he was a very competitive sportsman but a very unassuming guy,” Mr Mulvihill said.
“A very quiet guy, a tough footballer on the pitch but like a child off it - my heart goes out to his family.”
Scoil Realt na Mara remained open during the day and will continue to stay open over the coming days to support parents and offer them advice and guidance.
The school requested the support of the National Education Psychological Service and has also put in place a critical incident management plan.
Mr Keogh said the school’s six teachers were focused on the 98 pupils at the school and helping them cope with the loss of a young friend and a younger sibling.
“We will help the children to the best of our ability,” the principal said.
“To allow the staff to focus on the children we appeal for privacy and will make no further comment at this time.”
Michael Hegarty, local Fine Gael councillor, knew the family and many of their relatives.
“It’s a sense of numbness and disbelief that this tragedy has befallen the area,” Mr Hegarty said.
“A dark cloud has descended the whole of Ballycotton and surrounding area.
“Our prayers are with the families and all the community at this stage. It’s a very, very difficult time.”
