It has emerged that one of the young men at the centre of a suspected murder-suicide was due to graduate college with a First Class Honours degree next week.
23-year-old Diarmuid O’Sullivan was due to graduate with a degree in accountancy before the incident which claimed his life alongside his father's and brother’s in Cork on Monday, according to the Irish Times.
The body of Mark O’Sullivan (26), a trainee solicitor was found with gunshot wounds in an upstairs room of the family farmhouse while the bodies of his brother Diarmuid and father Tadhg (59) were found beside two rifles in a field some distance from the house.
Diarmuid O’Sullivan had concluded his studies at Cork Institute of Technology in June and was due to be conferred with a First Class Honours degree in accounting next week, the institute confirmed.
Head of Student Affairs at CIT Dr Dan Collins said the college community was in shock at the news of the tragic deaths of Mr O’Sullivan, his brother and his father.
Dr Collins said staff at CIT where Mr O’Sullivan studied for four years described him as “a young man with promise, who was a hard worker, respected, and held in high regard by staff and students alike”.
“There are no words anyone can say to express how people are feeling. This tragedy is heart-breaking, and we extend our thoughts and sympathy to his mother, Anne. We also keep in our thoughts, and prayers, his brother Mark and his father Tadgh,” Dr Collins in a statement issued by CIT.
“We are mindful at this time of his friends, classmates, and staff of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, as well as the extended family and neighbours.”
Gardaí indicated on Monday that they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.
Relatives were last night comforting Mr O’Sullivan’s widow, Anne (60) who had recently come out of hospital following surgery.
Gardaí say they are keeping an open mind on what triggered the tragedy but say they are inquiring whether the shootings may have been related to a dispute over a will which may have seen younger son Diarmuid miss out on a share of the 150 acre family farm.
Reports suggested Diarmuid felt aggrieved at this and became angry and had threatened to harm himself.
Post mortems are to take place today.
