Tragic Oisin Reddin’s friends and classmates supported by specialist counsellors

Specialist counsellors have been offering support to school friends of 12-year-old Oisín Reddin who was killed in a suspected ­murder-suicide on Thursday at a house just metres from his primary school.

The body of Oisín’s father, Wayne O’Reilly, 48, was found at a shed behind a home in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot, Dublin, at around 8.30am that day, after a call was made to emergency services.

After follow-up enquiries, the body of Mr O’Reilly’s son was ­discovered shortly afterwards at the O’Reilly family home in the Lealand Road area of Clondalkin in west Dublin – directly opposite Oisín’s primary school.

It’s understood that fifth-class pupil Oisín died violently and his father later took his own life. Detectives are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide and believe the father murdered his son before killing himself.

The two properties, which both had visible Christmas decorations in the windows, are about a 15-minute drive away from each other. A Gardaspokesman said postmortems on Oisín and his father have been completed but ‘are not being released for ­operational reasons’.

An independent National Review Panel commissioned by Tusla – which investigates serious incidents, including the deaths of children in care or children known to the child protection system – will review the case.

A Department of Education spokesman stated yesterday that the National Educational ­Psychological Service (NEPS) was ‘on the ground’ at Talbot Senior National School to ­support children coping with the shocking news of their friend’s violent and sudden death.

‘This response includes assisting school management and staff to support the well-being of pupils at the school and their school community,’ the department stated.

NEPS psychologists are providing guidance and resources in line with the department’s guidelines, which outline immediate, medium and long-term supports.

Ballyfermot, where Wayne O'Reilly's body was discovered. (RollingNews.ie)

NEPS, as the frontline ­responders on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth, is on the ground providing support and advice to staff and the school community at the young boy’s school.

‘We remain committed to helping the school access all necessary supports during this time.’

As Oisín’s body was removed from the scene on Thursday afternoon, neighbours formed a guard of honour at the edge of a Garda cordon sealing off the area.

Shortly before 4pm, a boy in a primary school uniform with a schoolbag approached the Garda cordon with his mother and, in a poignant moment, carried a bouquet of sunflowers to a nearby garda and asked if the flowers could be placed near the house.

The garda then set them down against the wall of the front ­garden, and many other floral tributes later appeared at the scene over Friday morning.

The house where the body was recovered is understood to be where Mr O’Reilly lived and was raised, facing onto the playground and rear entrance of the school which he himself had attended as a boy.

After Oisín’s death, it’s believed that Mr O’Reilly travelled to an ex-partner’s house in Cherry Orchard, and then took his own life at the property.

09/01/2025 Dublin, Ireland. Photo shows tributes, toys and flowers which members of the public have left at the scene where the body of Oisin Reddin (age 11) was found yesterday in Lindisfarne Grove, Clondalkin. (RollingNews.ie)

The family had past engagements with Tusla, the child and family agency, which confirmed yesterday that it had been made aware of Oisín’s death.

‘The death of a child is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with the family, all those who knew him and the local community at this difficult time,’ the agency said in a statement. ‘This young boy was not in the care of the State. However, he and his family were known to Tusla.

‘We continue to engage with An Garda Síochána as they conduct their investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.’

It’s understood that Mr O’Reilly had been detained under the Mental Health Act in the past and was investigated for allegedly making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to his son, but no formal complaint was made in relation to the incident.

Both Mr O’Reilly and his son had been reported missing for several days last October, leading to an urgent nationwide appeal to locate them, before they were discovered safe.

The pair had been last seen in Clondalkin before 7am on Friday, October 17. Gardaí announced the search was called off the ­following day.

One mother said online her son was in Oisín’s school and he was ‘such a lovely kid’. She wrote: ‘It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I’m thinking of all his classmates and teachers. My son said he was so kind and keeps asking me why.

‘He only recently moved schools. I can’t get him out my mind, devastating.’

Clondalkin councillor William Carey told Extra.ie yesterday he welcomes the fact the National Review Panel will be examining the case.

‘My heart goes out to the families of the young boy and indeed his father. Questions need to be asked on Tusla’s role here. An explanation is needed as to how the situation turned tragic.

‘In between last year and now, something should have occurred. We need to know why mental health supports weren’t in place… I hope the review panel will get to the bottom of this.

'I’m also glad children at the school will be getting counselling but I’m sure there are neighbours too who are traumatised…As a family man, it’s not worth thinking about, when you have children yourself.’

Ballyfermot councillor Daithí Doolan said yesterday: ‘We didn’t expect this here. You never expect it on your doorstep.’

A Garda spokesman said: ‘Technical examinations at both domestic residences have been completed. The investigation continues to be carried out under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.’

Witnesses can contact Clondalkin Garda Station at 01-666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.