Lisa Cash, 18, and eight-year-old twin siblings, Christy and Chelsea Cawley were laid to rest at Bohernabreena Cemetery following the funeral service at St Aidan’s Church in Brookfield this morning.
Their mother, Margaret ‘Twink’ Cash McDonagh, 40, wore a custom T-shirt with a picture of her three children with ‘our three angels’ above, as she held a framed photograph.
Lisa’s father Andy Cash and Christy and Chelsea’s father Billy Cawley have also died and heartbreaking tributes have been paid to the children with the words: “Back with our dad”.
Father Paul O’Driscoll, priest of the Dublin Traveling community, who was the main celebrant at today’s service, paid tribute to the trio’s 14-year-old brother who jumped from a window to raise the alarm during Sunday morning’s rampage .
She said, according to the Irish Independent: “Your bravery and strength to raise the alarm, to go and get help is an inspiration of courage and love.”
The small church could not hold all the mourners, with silent crowds spilling out onto the grass outside as symbols were brought to the altar to remember the three children.
Elvis Presley albums and biographies were developed for Lisa who was a big fan of his music, along with a learner’s guide book.
Football and goalkeeper gloves were placed for Christie, while a handmade pillow and teddy bear were brought to the altar for Chelsea.
Margaret ‘Twink’ Cash McDonagh, 40, wore a custom T-shirt with a photo of her three children with ‘our three angels’ across the top.
The coffins of Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin sisters, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, are carried from St Aidan’s Church after the funeral today
The three brothers were laid to rest at Bohernabreena Cemetery today following Sunday’s murders
Mourners walk behind a horse-drawn hearse carrying the coffins of three young children
Yesterday, a similar crowd of mourners gathered to watch the children’s remains being carried to the church in a carriage.
Margaret was comforted by friends and family as she broke down in tears as the bodies were taken to St Aidan’s in Tallaght, while a man played the bagpipes ahead of today’s funeral.
At the church grounds, Lisa’s coffin was first carried to the church door, followed by Chelsea and Christie together, the Irish Mirror reported.
Father Paul O’Driscoll blessed their remains before a short service in which he said: “We have been robbed of three young lives.”
Elder brother Andy Cash, 24, was accused of killing his three younger siblings in a horrific rampage in the early hours of Sunday morning at their home on the road in Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght.
Margaret Cash McDonagh is comforted as her children’s coffins arrive at St Aidan’s Church, Brookfield, Tallaght, yesterday.
The coffins of Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin sisters, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, arrive at St Aidan’s
A lone piper walks past the coffins of Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin sisters, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, as they make their way to St Aidan’s Church
The coffins of Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin sisters, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, go into St Aidan’s Church, Brookfield, Tallaght, ahead of the moving service
At the church, Lisa’s coffin was brought in first, while twin siblings Chelsea and Christy were brought in next
Fr O’Driscoll said the children were ‘loved’ by their mother, adding: ‘Lisa, Chelsea and Christy will be loved forever and will be sadly missed by their grieving family. Three young lives have been stolen from us.
“Their genetic family, their family of faith, not only robbed them of life, but robbed them of all their innocence, our sense of what is normal.
“People stop each other on the streets and in shops in disbelief, how could this happen?”
At around 9.20pm on Monday, Cash appeared before a special sitting of Dublin District Court, charged with three counts of murder.
Cash of Tallaght, south Dublin, stood when asked by Judge McNamara so she could formally identify him at the special hearing.
McNamara pinned Nash. He will appear before Cloverhill District Court at 10am on Friday via video link.
Cash allegedly stabbed Lisa when she tried to protect the twins, while their 14-year-old brother managed to escape through a window and call for help, the Irish Sun reported.
Lisa’s body was found at the bottom of the stairs with obvious stab wounds.
It is believed that older sister Lisa was babysitting at the time of their deaths.
Yesterday, three local schools united in grief and together tried to find a way to explain the deaths of three young people to classmates and friends and to minds too young to understand what happened in this house.
Balloons were released into the air in their memory, while students and friends broke down in tears as their parents struggled to find the words to comfort them.
Eight-year-old twins Christy and Chelsea Cawley were stabbed to death in their home in Ireland on Sunday morning.
Lisa Cash, 18, who along with her two younger siblings died in a violent incident at a house in Tallaght, Dublin
The victims’ 14-year-old brother was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries and their mother was released from hospital on Sunday and is being supported by her family.
Taoist Chief Micheál Martin offered his “deepest condolences” to their family and said the “terrible tragedy” had “left the nation shocked and deeply saddened”, while Garda Commissioner Drew Harris described the deaths as “horrific and traumatic”.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said: “What we are all reading in the papers and hearing on TV and radio programs is more than just a terrifyingly tragic and devastating scenario.”
“Three young beautiful lives will be snuffed out in one night… We think especially of this community, but I think it’s something that has shocked the whole country.
“Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to the family, to their poor mom and the 14-year-old boy, to all their neighbors, to all their friends, to the students going back to school today, where there will be two empty desks where the beautiful twins have only been back to school for the past few days.
Andy Cash (pictured), 24, has been charged with murdering his sister, 18, and eight-year-old twin brothers in Dublin, as neighbors paid tribute to the tragic victims on Monday
Lisa Cash, 18, and her two younger siblings, eight-year-old twins Christy and Chelsea Cawley
“I think the whole nation has it all in our thoughts.”
Neighbors said they will never forget what they saw and heard in the early hours of Sunday.
A neighbour, who did not want to give his name, said he was watching TV when he was alerted to scenes outside.
“I went outside and I could see the Gardai with their guns out. We couldn’t understand what was going on. It was very traumatic to see it all happen.
“They were a wonderful, beautiful family. Our granddaughter sometimes played with the children outside in the street.
“None of us slept that night. The world won’t get over this. The community is badly shaken, mentally and physically. The guards did very well that night. They should be given medals. And the paramedics fought and fought so hard to save them. “Lisa was a beautiful young girl and she did everything she could to save these children.”
Outside the house are photos of the three, showing Christy and Chelsea making their first Holy Communion, among the long line of floral tributes.
Another neighbor earlier told the Irish Daily Mail that her daughter had been playing with Christy and Chelsea just two days before.
“It was the first day I let her play on the corner – right below their house.”
Mourners gathered in droves to leave candles, messages and flowers along the wall outside the home where the three were murdered
Twins Chelsea and Christy Cawley, eight, and their older sister Lisa Cash, 18, were killed at their home in Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght. Pictured: Locals release balloons at a vigil for the three brothers, who died on Sunday morning
Classmates are pictured watching the vigil for Lisa Cash, 18, and her eight-year-old twin sisters Christy and Chelsea Cawley
Her young daughter continued the story: “We played hide and seek down there. We had a good time. I can’t believe it – that he’s not here now.”
Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, told the Mail: ‘Their brother who was at home went to get help. He is their hero. There are no words to describe what we saw and what happened.
“The whole community will need counseling now.”
Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, told the Irish Daily Mail: “There are no words to describe what we saw and what happened. The whole community will need counseling now.’
St Aidan’s headteacher Kevin Shortall paid tribute to Lisa, saying she was “a quiet, beautiful young lady, very diligent, hardworking, got on with her work, was a great support to her friends in times of trouble. .
“She is remembered as one of the most honest, genuine young people, full of integrity and no fuss, no drama around her.
“I think she was babysitting at the time and that would be something she was so good at.
Mourning couple share poignant hug at vigil for Lisa Cash and eight-year-old twin sisters Chelsea and Christy Crawley
“He was the kind of person you could trust. That was the person Lisa was.
“We all just meet and shake our heads and give each other hugs and stuff like that. It’s a very difficult morning.’
Mr. Shortall…
