DETECTIVES FROM An Garda Síochána investigating a suspected murder-suicide in Kerry say there is 'no clear motive' for the tragedy.
Gardaí are investigating the major tragedy in Lixnaw, some 13 kilometres from Listowel, north County Kerry, after the bodies of three members of the same family were discovered at a house on Tuesday night.
The bodies of Eileen O'Sullivan, 56, her 24-year-old son Jamie, 24, and her partner Maurice O'Sullivan, 63, were found by a neighbour at their home in rural Ballyreehan at around 9pm on Tuesday night.
The body of Maurice O'Sullivan was discovered outside at the back of the property with what appeared to be self-inflicted gun wounds; a legally-held firearm was found near his remains.
The bodies of both Eileen and Jamie were also found suffering gunshot wounds.
The Journal reports that Gardaí suspect Maurice shot his partner and son in separate rooms inside the house before turning the gun on himself; sources told the outlet they believe the murders took place hours earlier, potentially on Tuesday morning.
Speaking at a press conference in Lixnaw, Superintendent Paul Kennedy said there was so far 'no clear motive' for what led Maurice O'Sullivan to kill his family and himself, admitting there was "a lot of unanswered questions".
He urged the close-knit rural community of Lixnaw to come forward with any information which could assist the investigation, no matter how "insignificant" the information may seem.
The horrific incident is the latest in a concerning pattern of murder-suicides in rural Ireland; in October in north County Cork, a father and son shot dead the elder brother of the family before killing themselves.
And in March of this year, also in County Cork, an elderly man killed both his brothers before his own body was removed from a river.
