A man in his 30s was arrested as Gardaí sealed off a house in rural Tallanstown village.
Irish police have launched a major investigation after three people were found dead in a house in County Louth on Monday morning.
The bodies of two men and a woman were discovered inside a property in the quiet rural village of Tallanstown.
Emergency services were alerted shortly after 9 a.m., rushing to the scene where the grim discovery was made.
The house and surrounding area have since been sealed off to allow forensic officers to carry out examinations.
The offices of the coroner and the state pathologist have been notified, and post-mortems will be conducted in the coming days.
Suspect Arrested
A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene and is being detained at a Garda station in the North West Region.
He is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, which allows for questioning for up to 24 hours.
Police have stressed that they are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident, describing it as “self-contained.”
A Garda spokesperson said: “Investigations are ongoing. At this time, we have no further information to provide.”
Community Stunned
The small community of Tallanstown has been left reeling by the deaths.
Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Ruairí Ó Murchú, described the killings as “truly shocking and appalling.”
He said: “The fact that three members of one family seem to have died in dreadful and violent circumstances on a Monday morning in a quiet and rural area of Mid-Louth is appalling.”
Mr Ó Murchú appealed for calm, urging members of the public not to speculate online or spread rumours about the case.
Political Reaction
Pearse McGeough, Sinn Féin councillor for the Ardee/Mid-Louth area, also expressed his condolences.
Posting on X, he wrote: “Very sad news coming out of Tallanstown this morning. I would ask people not to speculate until we know the facts. Our thoughts are with the friends, family and the community.”
Other local representatives have said the scale of the tragedy has shocked the county.
Forensic Work Underway
The scene remains cordoned off with Garda vehicles stationed outside the property.
Forensic experts are conducting detailed examinations of the house and the surrounding area.
Residents of the village have been told to avoid the scene while the investigation continues.
A Community in Mourning
Neighbours described Tallanstown as a close-knit village where violent crime is virtually unheard of.
One resident told reporters, “You would never expect something like this to happen here. Everyone knows everyone. It’s devastating.”
Another added, “It’s hard to believe something like this could happen on our doorstep. People are frightened and saddened in equal measure.”
Next Steps
The bodies of the victims have yet to be formally identified.
Post-mortem examinations will determine the precise cause of death.
Police say the results of those examinations will help guide the next phase of their inquiry.
In the meantime, the suspect remains in custody as detectives work to establish a motive.
The Gardaí have urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The investigation remains active, and updates are expected as forensic work progresses.
The people of Tallanstown, meanwhile, continue to grapple with the shock of a tragedy that has shattered their rural community.
