Dublin incident: Andy Cash charged with murders of sister Lisa and twin siblings - as vigil held in Tallaght

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his three siblings in Dublin.

Andy Cash, 24, was charged with the murder of Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin siblings Christy and Chelsea Cawley, at their home on Sunday.

He appeared before Judge Patricia McNamara at a special sitting of the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday.

Lisa, Christy and Chelsea were taken by ambulance to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) in Crumlin, but all three were later pronounced dead after the incident at the property in the Rossfield Estate in Tallaght at around 12.30am on Sunday.

What happened during the court hearing?

Garda Robert Whitty told the court the accused was cautioned and charged with three counts of murder at 7.51pm on Monday.

He said Cash, of Tallaght, replied no comment to each charge.

The accused did not speak during the brief hearing.

Judge McNamara remanded Cash in custody at Cloverhill to appear in court via video link on Friday at 10am.

She said a bail application for a murder charge can only be granted by the High Court.

Have the post-mortem examinations taken place?

The Coroner’s Office and the Office of the State Pathologist have been informed. Post-mortem examinations will also take place.

An Garda Siochana said it has appointed a family liaison officer and will continue to support those involved in conjunction with other state agencies.

What have police said about the incident?

Officers described it as a violent, challenging and traumatic incident which was responded to by uniform unarmed Garda first responders from Tallaght District, supported by uniform members and armed detectives and specialist armed support unit members.

An Garda Siochna also said it has put in place welfare support for all officers who attended the incident.

There was a large gardai presence in the area while a full forensic examination of the scene was carried out.

The upstairs windows of the property were open and smashed while blood stains could be seen on the window frames.

A smashed downstairs window also remained open while forensic officers examined the front garden.

A black car outside the property was also a focal point of the investigation.

Was there a vigil?

A vigil was held in Tallaght in memory of the siblings, with a large crowd gathered outside the house to mourn alongside family and friends.

Balloons were released and candles were lit along the wall outside the house in their memory as songs were played to the crowd.

Dozens of bunches of flowers, teddy bears and candles have been placed along the wall as well as photographs of the three, showing Christy and Chelsea making their first Holy Communion.

The Independent.ie reports that the grandfather of Lisa, Christy and Chelsea, Martin McDonagh, was among the mourners at the vigil and he told the news site: “It’s good of them to come. I’m lost for words at the moment, but it helps a small bit.”

While the Mirror reports that the children’s mother Margaret Cash McDonagh was also at the vigil where she was seen being supported by mourners.

What’s been said?

Fianna Fail councillor Charlie O’Connor, who was at the scene on Sunday morning, said there was widespread shock in the community.

“I don’t know how to describe it. I was getting calls from early morning with people bringing it to my attention,” Mr O’Connor said.

“There is deep shock, people are really, really upset, any event like this would cause shock but the fact that it involves children.

“It’s a really shocking event for this community, and indeed for the wider Tallaght community and elsewhere. This will affect many, many people.

“It is terrible. We have to think of the family, think of their neighbours, think of the wider community.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has expressed his “deepest sympathies” to their family, and said that the “terrible tragedy” had “left the nation shocked and very saddened”