Northern Ireland

Shock as father and two sons found dead after Cork farmhouse shooting

Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Mark O'Sullivan, and Tadgh O'Sullivan. Picture supplied by gardaí
Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Mark O'Sullivan, and Tadgh O'Sullivan. Picture supplied by gardaí Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Mark O'Sullivan, and Tadgh O'Sullivan. Picture supplied by gardaí

THERE is deep shock in a Co Cork community after the bodies of a father and two sons were discovered with gunshot wounds at a farm

One of the sons was found in a bedroom of the farmhouse at Assalis, near Kanturk, in the north of the county.

The bodies of his brother and father were discovered in a nearby field.

The men have been named as Diarmuid O'Sullivan (22), Mark O'Sullivan (25) and Tadgh O'Sullivan (59). 

All three had suffered gunshot wounds.

Gardaí said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths, which at this stage are thought to be a murder-suicide.

An emergency call was received from neighbours at around 6.30am yesterday, after a woman living in the house told them that shots had been fired in her home.

It was reported that one of the sons and his mother had returned home after some time away on Sunday night.

The woman managed to flee the house unharmed and was last night said to be in a state of shock.

As gardaí approached the isolated farmhouse further shots were heard.

A cordon was set up around the property and an Armed Emergency Response Unit from Cork was deployed and ambulance personnel sent to the scene.

A Garda negotiator was also put on standby.

“Gardaí were informed that three males were present in the house, and that one male may have suffered gunshot wounds,” a spokesman said.

He said negotiators unsuccessfully attempted to make contact with anyone in the house throughout the morning.

Shortly after 12.30pm, Armed Support Unit members from Dublin entered the farmhouse and found one of the younger men dead in a bedroom.

He had suffered a gunshot wound.

Outhouses beside the farmhouse where searched and the Garda Air Support Unit was deployed as well as the North Cork Divisional Search Team, who began searching fields around the farm.

The Air Support Unit spotted two bodies at about 1.45pm in fields near the property.

The bodies were identified as those of the father and the other son, who had also suffered gunshot wounds.

Two rifles and a shotgun were found at the scene.

Detectives and forensic officers remained at the farmhouse last night.

Garda Supt Adrian Gamble of Cork North Division appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

"Throughout the course of the morning and early afternoon Garda negotiators tried to make contact with those in the house.

"I confirm that all three deceased men were from the one family. Both locations have been sealed off.

"The state pathologist is currently at the scene and arrangements in place for post mortem examinations to take place later.

"The family have requested strict privacy at this very tragic time."