Prayers for Tom and Kitty as remains are removed from farmhouse

PRAYERS were led by the local parish priest this afternoon (Wednesday) at the dwellinghouse in south east Mayo where Tom and Kitty Fitzgerald died tragically yesterday (Tuesday) in obviously violent circumstances.

Fr. Martin O'Connor, P.P., Kilvine (Ballindine and Irishtown), travelled to the Fitzgerald home, situated about a mile from Irishtown on the Dunmore Road, just before 3 p.m. for a short prayer service prior to the removal of both bodies to Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar.

Relatives, friends and a number of neighbours gathered for the brief ceremony.

Afterwards the remains were taken in hearses to Castlebar where post-mortem examinations are due to be conducted tomorrow (Thursday) by a State pathologist.

It is understood the post-mortems won't take place until tomorrow due to the heavy workload faced by the State pathologist this week. A number of suspicious deaths around the country are currently being investigated.

Gardaí say they are keeping an 'open mind' on the deaths of Tom Fitzgerald, a community activist, and his wife, Kitty. Both remains showed signs of extensive injuries.

The couple's son, Paul, was injured in the incident early yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and is recovering from head injuries in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Experts from the Garda Technical Bureau have been carrying out intensive examinations of the Fitzgerald farmhouse and surrounding farmyard area since this morning.