A mother, father and their son have been found dead at home after a violent triple stabbing in the Irish countryside – as a man they are believed to have known is arrested.
Mark and Louise O’Connor and their son Evan were brutally attacked in their stone cottage near the village of Tallanstown in County Louth, Ireland, on Monday morning.
The couple, in their 50s, and Mr O’Connor, who was in his 20s and had special needs, all died at the scene, despite the efforts of emergency services.
A man in his 30s, who the family are believed to have known, was arrested around four miles from their home in the eastern coastal border county. He remains in custody.
Gardaí, the Irish police, have launched an investigation – but they are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths and there is no threat to the public.
Two bodies were found inside the family’s home while a third was discovered on the driveway, BelfastLive reports.
The O’Connors were well-known and popular in the area, having lived in their remote cottage near the villages of Stonestown and Louth for 20 years.
They have been dubbed a ‘lovely’ family by devastated neighbours – and reportedly had two other sons.
Mark and Louise O’Connor and their son Evan (pictured) were brutally attacked in their stone cottage near the village of Tallanstown in County Louth, Ireland, on Monday morning
The couple, in their 50s, and Mr O’Connor (pictured together), who was in his 20s and had special needs, all died at the scene
A man in his 30s, who the family is believed to have known, was arrested around four miles from their home (pictured on Monday, attended by police forensic officers) in the eastern coastal border county. He remains in custody
A large police presence attended, including an armed response unit and officers from the Garda Technical Bureau, which investigates major complex crimes.
A blue forensic tent was seen on the driveway, which was sealed off, as officers searched in and around the property.
A post-mortem examination will take place on Tuesday, the Mirror reports.
The tragedy has devastated the community, with one neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, telling the Irish Mirror: ‘Everyone is numb and in shock.’
Another resident spoke of their heartbreak for the ‘lovely’ family.
Mr O’Connor was a keen runner often seen out on local roads and even ran the Boston Marathon earlier this year, while his wife was a nurse.
Louth TD Ruairi O Murchu said locals were in complete ‘shock’ and ‘disbelief’.
The parliamentary representative for the county, from the left-wing Sinn Fein party, said: ‘There are no words – this is beyond shocking.
The O’Connors (pictured, Mr O’Connor, right, with his son, left) were well-known and popular in the area, having lived in their remote cottage near the villages of Stonestown and Louth for 20 years
A large police presence attended (pictured, an officer removes a dog from the scene), including an armed response unit and officers from the Garda Technical Bureau, which investigates major complex crimes
‘We’re talking three within the one family that are dead… My heart goes out to the family and the wider community.
‘This is absolutely rural mid-Louth, nobody was expecting what we heard today.’
He appealed to the public to assist the police investigation if they can and urged against speculation.
Louth county councillor Rachel Kerley, who represents the Ardee area, has called the triple stabbing a ‘complete shock’ to the community.
The representative for the centre-right Fine Gael party told of the ‘pure devastation’ it had caused: ‘People were not expecting this tragedy at all.
‘I think we need to be vigilant as we are a small rural community, so there are a lot of people who are affected by this tragedy and our thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community.’
She urged people not to share names or speculate on social media or in group chats to avoid misinformation or insensitivity to any relatives involved.
Her fellow councillor John Sheridan paid tribute to the ‘well-known’ and ‘well-liked’ family, who were heavily involved with local community and sporting events.
The O’Connors (pictured, Mr and Mrs O’Connor) have been dubbed a ‘lovely’ family by devastated neighbours – and reportedly had two other sons
The tragedy has devastated the community, with one neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, saying: ‘Everyone is numb and in shock’. Pictured: Police forensic officers at the scene on Monday
The centre-right Fianna Fáil representative said the arrival of emergency services in the remote region on Monday morning had shocked every village nearby.
‘This is the first time something shocking like this has happened in this quiet and peaceful area,’ he said.
‘There is a huge degree of shock and sadness in the area.’
Ireland’s justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said: ‘An Garda Siochana have passed on information which I have received through the office and I’m conscious it’s a developing story and a sensitive issue but there’s no further information I can put into the public domain at present.
‘Further information will become available in due course.
‘What I can say and what the Gardaí have said is that they are not looking for anyone else in respect of this criminal act and there’s no unknown threat to the public and Co Louth.’
A police spokesperson said: ‘Gardaí continue to investigate all the circumstances of a fatal incident at a residential property in Drumgowna, Tallanstown, Co Louth, this morning, Monday, September 29, 2025.
‘Gardaí responded to a call to attend the residential property shortly before 10am this morning, September 29, 2025.
‘Three people – a male and a female in their 50s and a male in his 20s were found deceased at the scene.
‘A male, aged in his 30s, has been arrested and is currently detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.’
They previously also noted: ‘The scene has been preserved for technical examination.
‘The offices of the coroner and the state pathologist have been notified.’
Anyone with information to assist the investigation has been asked to contact the Garda station in the nearby town of Drogheda.
