Funeral Of Hawe Family To Take Place Today

The miserable, rainy day reflects the mood as the Hawe family will be laid to rest today in Cavan. The family will be buried together at St Mary's Church in Castlerahan after a funeral mass at 4pm today.  There are few who haven't been affected by the suspected murder-suicide tragedy of the Hawe family after the bodies of Alan Hawe, his wife, Clodagh, and their three sons, Liam, 13, Niall, 11, and six-year-old, Ryan were found in the family home near Ballyjamesduff in County Cavan. Mr Hawe was a vice principal at the nearby Castlerahan National School, where his sons Niall and Ryan attended as pupils. Clodagh Hawe was also a teacher and worked at Oristown National School. Today, Clodagh Hawe's family prepare to bury her, and her beautiful three children, along with the man who is believed to have murdered them. Both families, the Hawes and the Colls, have requested that mourners donate to the suicide charity, Pieta House, instead of flowers at the church. Although details have yet to emerge of the case, Women's Aid Director, Margaret Martin has highlighted this week in the Irish Examiner how often men threaten to kill their partners and children during incidences of domestic violence, saying:

" In 2015, women disclosed to us on 970 occasions, that their abusive partners threatened to kill them, their children and their families.” 

“There were 579 additional disclosures of assaults with weapons, threats with weapons, and being strangled and smothered.”

“Extreme jealousy, possessiveness, and patriarchal concepts and attitudes are also red flags for domestic homicide.”

Margaret Martin has commented that several calls made to the Women's Aid helpline this week were triggered by the events this week at the Hawe family home. She is calling on the prevention of future cases like this by encouraging women who are being abused by their partners to speak out and get help.

The contents of a sealed letter believed to have been written by Mr Hawe have not yet been disclosed to the family. Reports suggest a number of other messages written by the Mr Hawe are also being examined alongside a mobile phone owned by his son Liam. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased today. If you or anyone you know is affected by this story, free-phone the Samaritans or Women's Aid now.