A mother whose two sons were stabbed to death by their brother told Jonathan Healy today that she is trying to raise funds for their funeral.
Jonathan O'Driscoll took his own life, after stabbing his nine-year-old twin brothers Thomas and Patrick in Charleville, Co Cork earlier this month.
21-year-old Jonathan’s body was found some 15kms away in woodland in Buttevant, a short time after the discovery of his brothers' bodies in separate bedrooms at their home in Deerpark on the outskirts of Charleville.
Helen is now issuing an appeal for help to pay for their funeral: "I wasn't expecting that to come up."
"It was an awful amount to be honest, it's too much."
Jonathan asked how she was coping since the day: "My life has been in pieces. Without the support of family and friends I don't think I would have got through it."
Helen hasn't been in the house since the incident: "I'm living in a mobile in the back of the house. I haven't been in the house. I can't go in there, it's too much.
"My husband goes in every night to light a candle. My boys would never be without a light."
Jonathan then asked about the inquest into their deaths. She replied: "There's a lot of mental issues out there and a lot of suicide.
"He surely had to have told those doctors how he felt{sic}."
"A parent is the last person to find out anything. Jonathan would have up days and down days and when I asked him to go up to the doctor, he would."
"I do think that no matter what age they are, if I ring the parents and tell them... I would have been prepared. I would have kept an eye on Jonathan.
"I wouldn't have given him that responsibility to pick up the children."
When asked if she forgave her son, Helen replied: "Of course I forgive him, he didn't know what he was doing."
Today her twins Paddy and Tom would have celebrated their 10th birthday. With that in mind, the first big fundraiser for the family will be a walk taking place in Charleville town park today at 3.30pm.
To those who wish to donate the O’Driscoll fund is at AIB account: 23462037; sort code: 93-61-89; IBAN: 1E84AIBK93618923462037.
Here is the interview in full:
