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26th Sep 2017

Gardaí make arrest in relation to house fire that killed an adult and two children 30 years ago

Gardaí reopened the investigation last week.

Conor Heneghan

A man in his 50s was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.

Days after reopening an investigation into an incident that happened 30 years ago this month, Gardaí have made an arrest in relation to a house fire that claimed the lives of three people in September 1987.

Last week, as a result of new evidence that came into their possession, Gardaí were of the belief that the fire at Church Lane in Kilcock in Kildare on the night of September 20, 1987, was started deliberately.

An investigation was subsequently reopened into an incident that claimed the lives of Barbara Doyle (20) and her nieces, Mary Ellen Byrne (8) and Kerrie Byrne (3).

The children’s parents, Aidan (now deceased) and Elizabeth, a sister of Barbara Doyle’s, went to a 21st party in the locality on the night of September 20, 1987. Between 3am and 4am that Sunday morning, a fire was reported at the house.

On Tuesday afternoon, a man in his 50s was arrested in North Dublin and is currently detained at Leixlip Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

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