House where elderly special-needs brothers were murdered on market for €112,500
Jack Blaine, 76, and his brother Tommy, 69, died as a result of blunt force trauma after being subjected to 'extreme violence' at their home on New Antrim Street, Castlebar on July 10, 2013.
The state pathologist described as 'overkill' the violent and prolonged assault, during which one of the brothers had boiling water poured over him and was beaten with a walking stick around 25 times.
Alan Cawley of Four Winds, Corrimbla, Ballina, Co Mayo was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for their murders. The 26-year-old had been released from Castlerea Prison just four days before targeting the brothers.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Cawley had seen an opportunity when he spotted Jack Blaine making his way home late at night after getting a cup of tea in a pub across the road. The interior of the house (Image: Daft.ie)
Both men had special needs and were in the care of the Health Service Executive (HSE). In a victim impact statement, their cousin Paul Dunne said Jack had a speech impediment, was partially blind, and could hardly walk.
He described the Blaine brothers as 'two angels' who were loved and looked after by the people of Castlebar.
'They never wanted a fuss and would tell everyone everything was alright,' he said, 'but if anyone had to do anything for them, they knew how to say thank you, you should not have bothered.'
Mr Dunne described how the Blaines had never bothered with television or luxuries, and were 'simple men' whose deaths had shaken the town of Castlebar. A bedroom in the house (Image: Daft.ie)
Then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who is from Castlebar and had a constituency office just yards from the Blaines' home, described their killing as an "act of savagery". He said they were "lovely people" who had "never harmed anybody".
Their three-bedroom townhouse was advertised for sale by private treaty this week with a price tag of €112,500. The selling auctioneer claims the house would be 'an ideal candidate' for the Government's Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
The two-storey property comprises an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. It has one en suite bedroom downstairs and two large bedrooms with a bathroom upstairs. There is a small yard to the rear of the dwelling.
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