The murder enquiry opens on the 30th anniversary of the fire.
Kerrie Anne Byrne (3), Mary Ellen Byrne (8) and their aunt Barbara Doyle (20) died in Kilcock, Co. Kildare on 20
th September 1987.
While parents Elizabeth and Aidan Byrne were out celebrating a 21
st birthday locally, they arrived home in the early hours of the morning to find the house engulfed in flames along with their two children and Elizabeth’s sister who was babysitting.
Kerrie Byrne
Mary Ellen Byrne
Barbara Doyle
Today gardaí revealed new evidence had come to the fore after a full crew of investigators from the Serious Crime Review Team delved into it further over the last number of months.
From this the team at Leixlip garda station decided to make the incident a formal murder investigation rather than the previously alleged accident.
Father of the two young girls that died, Aidan Byrne, passed away in 2013 while his wife Elizabeth still lives in the refurbished village house within the Church Lane area.
It is not known what new evidence has come to light however, Chief superintendent Gerard Roche said, “
We are satisfied there are people who will remember this fire and the deaths of Barbara, Mary Ellen, and Kerrie, and who have not yet spoken to gardaí.”
"We are appealing to any person who has any information to contact Leixlip garda station at 01-6667800 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.”
He also asked that the privacy of the Byrne and Doyle families be respected at the present time.
