The funerals for Tadgh Farrell, 4, and his grandaunt Mary Holt, 60, are set to be held in Co Offaly this weekend.
The two were killed in a house fire at a domestic residence in Castleview Park, Edenderry, Co Offaly, on Saturday evening, December 6.
An Garda Síochána have commenced a murder investigation into the incident.
The police force said on Wednesday that while the incident was "a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home," it is continuing to "keep an open mind as to the reasons and motives for this attack."
Funerals
The funeral Mass for Tadgh Farrell will take place at St. Mary's Church in Edenderry at 12 pm on Friday, December 12, followed by burial in St. Mary's cemetery.
The funeral Mass for Tadgh will be livestreamed.
A notice on RIP.ie says: "Tadgh’s sudden and tragic passing has left his family and friends heartbroken.
"Softly held in the arms of angels he will be forever missed and remembered by his loving family: mother Shannon, dad Aaron, grandmothers Karen and Pauline, granddad Richard, sisters Ella Brooke, Heidi Lee and Nevaeh, great-grandmother Marian, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends."
Tadgh Farrell. (RIP.ie)
A funeral Mass for Tadgh's grand-aunt Mary Holt will take place on Sunday, December 14.
A funeral cortege will depart from Larkin's Funeral Home on Sunday at 12:20 pm and stop at Mary's beloved workplace, Ofalia House, before traveling to St. Mary's Church in Edenderry, where the funeral Mass will begin at 1 pm. Mass will be followed by burial in St. Mary's Cemetery.
The Mass for Mary will be livestreamed.
A notice on RIP.ie says: "Predeceased by her parents Micháel and Peg, sister Caroline and brother-in-law Pat.
"Mary’s tragic passing has left her family, friends & work colleagues in Ofalia House devastated and heartbroken.
"She will be sadly missed and forever remembered by her loving family: brothers and sisters Michael, Johnny, Margaret, Christy, Declan, Pauline and Brendan, their husbands, wives and partners, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives, friends and especially her work colleagues in Ofalia House, Edenderry."
Mary Holt. (RIP.ie)
Fatal house fire in Edenderry, Co Offaly
In its latest official update, An Garda Síochána said on Wednesday that it is continuing to investigate all the circumstances of Saturday evening's fatal house fire.
The murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.
According to Gardaí, Tadgh Farrell was visiting his grandmother and grand-aunt Mary at Castleview Park on Saturday evening. Gardaí noted that that evening, the Christmas Tractor Run took place in Edenderry, attended by over 250 tractors raising money for local charitable causes.
Shortly before 7.45 pm on Saturday, the family home at Castleview Park was attacked.
December 7, 2025: The house in Castleview Park, Edenderry, Co. Offaly, the day after it was set on fire. (RollingNews.ie)
The remains of Tadgh and his grandaunt Mary were discovered in the front room of the house, where the fire was deliberately started, Gardaí said. Tadgh’s grandmother continues to receive hospital treatment for serious burn injuries.
Post-mortem examinations on the remains of Tadgh Farrell and Mary Holt have been completed; the results of the post-mortem examinations are not being released for operational reasons.
An Garda Síochána is continuing to liaise with and support the families of Tadgh and Mary at this time as they prepare for family funerals.
As of Wednesday, the Garda investigation team carried out over 150 investigative jobs, carried out over 250 house-to-house enquiries, retrieved over 60 pieces of CCTV, and took over 100 written documents.
Gardaí included CCTV clips of the attack in a video released on Wednesday:
Gardaí have released CCTV footage of a fatal arson attack on a house in Co Offaly last week in which two people were killed.
Tadhg Farrell, aged 4, and his 60-year-old great-aunt Mary Holt were killed in the blaze that occurred in Edenderry. https://t.co/X1lgjTs4lN pic.twitter.com/ssYFTLBZ8R
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) December 10, 2025
Edenderry mourns
On Wednesday, An Garda Síochána acknowledged the support shown by the local community in Edenderry, and the wider area, to the families and to An Garda Síochána.
Chief Superintendent Anthony Lonergan, Laois/ Offaly Garda Division, said on Wednesday: "I want to reassure the community here in Edenderry and throughout Laois/ Offaly Division that I will ensure that An Garda Síochána is here to support you through this traumatic event, but also that An Garda Síochána is determined, and will identify all those responsible for the deaths of Tadgh and Mary and bring them before the courts.
"I appeal directly to any person with any information on this violent, fatal incident to speak with investigating Gardaí.”
The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station, in particular Edenderry Garda Station.
"Tadgh should be with his family today," Lonergan added. "His grandaunt Mary should be working in the local nursing home where she worked for in excess of 40 years, helping the local community."
On Wednesday night, hundreds of community members gathered at Derry Rovers AFC's club grounds for a vigil in Tadgh and Mary's memory.
Meanwhile, more than 1,100 people have signed an online petition calling for Edenderry Garda Station to be reinstated as a full-time station.
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