Jonathon O’Driscoll murdered his nine-year-old brothers Patrick and Thomas just days after discovering that he was adopted and they weren’t. 

The town of Charleville in North Cork has been tramuatized by the three deaths on Thursday.

The 20-year-old who stabbed his twin brothers to death then committed suicide had appeared in court just days earlier on a knife charge according to reports.

Police believe that Jonathon failed to come to terms with his own adoption and killed his siblings in a jealous rage.

It has also been reported in Ireland that he had appeared in court two days before Thursday’s murder when he was charged in connection to the possession of a dangerous knife.

He was freed on bail as officers prepared a case following his arrest in February.

His younger brothers, aged five and three, raised the alert at the family home in Charleville when Jonathon attacked the nine-year-olds on Thursday.

The twins were found with horrific stab wounds to the chest, back and arms.

The Irish Sun reports that Jonathon’s mother Helen has forgiven him for the murder and his suicide.

A source told the paper: “None of us can get our head around it but she said to us she has already forgiven Jonathan for what he has done.”

The paper adds that Jonathon had known since his teenage years that loving guardians Helen and Thomas Sr were not his birth parents but he was only formally adopted in 2011.

A source told the Irish Sun: “It’s impossible to know what his motives were but the adoption issue must be explored.

“Jonathan had been reared with the family from a young age but he wasn’t formally adopted until three years ago.

“One theory is that he targeted the twins in a rage because they were natural children.

“He’s believed to have felt jealousy and hatred towards Thomas and Patrick because of their direct connection to their parents.”

Dad Thomas Sr told the paper the family are ‘heartbroken’ over the tragedy.

Local parish priest Fr Tom Naughton led prayers for the boys.

He said: “The prayers are very, very important. I think it was beautiful to see such a show of support from the community.”