Earlier this year, Clodagh Hawe and her three children were killed by her husband Alan before he took his own life.
Clodagh was a local teacher, and her three sons, Liam, Niall and Ryan, were aged just 13, 11, and 6.
The local parish in Cavan was rocked by their deaths, as was the entire nation. Over three months since their deaths, Clodagh’s sister Jacqueline has broken her silence saying that she, and her mother Mary, must continue to be Clodagh’s voice.
She told The Irish Mirror:
“We must be her voice. That evil killer will not silence our beautiful Clodagh. Mam and I will be Clodagh’s voice and we promise you, she WILL be heard.”
She has decided to speak out in the hopes that it will prevent future tragedies in homes where abuse is happening.
“We strongly believe that we must now be the voices for Clodagh and our wonderful boys.
“In time we will work to highlight domestic violence, especially the silent type where there are no obvious warning signs, just like Clodagh’s situation.
“She had no idea she was in danger. If she had known she would have acted to prevent it and safeguard the boys and herself.”
Jacqueline said that Clodagh had been planning a holiday for the family in the lead up to the attack.
“But this year while she was thinking up ideas for holidays, Alan Hawe was thinking up ideas about how to escape a fall from grace, a tumble from the pedestal he’d placed himself on.
“While Clodagh was planning their future, he was planning her end. While she had thoughts sunshine and fun, he had murder on his mind.
“Clodagh never stood a chance and so the boys never stood a chance. Not once in their lives had they been vulnerable or in danger because Clodagh was just the best mother.”
She spoke about how Clodagh wasn’t prepared for the attack and hopes that something can be done to highlight the dangers that go undetected in homes.
“If Clodagh had known for one second that she or the boys were in danger she’d have acted without hesitation.
“Clodagh’s voice was taken from her in the most brutal way by a man she should’ve been able to trust with her life. So now Mam and I will be her voice, we have to be and neither Clodagh nor we will be silenced again.
“We need to learn to recognise where dangers lie in the home, see how the desire for control can get out of control and act before it is too late.”
She said that Alan’s actions have left devastating results for the entire family:
“He has stolen all of their Christmases and ours. In a few weeks time they should’ve been opening their presents and sharing Christmas dinner with me and Mam and Gary.
“But instead the four of them are lying in their grave and their killer is lying right beside them.
“Alan Hawe had fooled us all, he had everyone fooled. We had no idea what we’d been dealing with, who Clodagh and the boys had been living with. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“The shock was incredible. We were so confused and stunned during the week arranging their funeral. That man ended up being buried with them. The horror of that, given what we know now, is indescribable.
Jacqueline concluded her intervew with The Irish Mirror by saying that she will be haunted by what happened in August:
“Clodagh’s last thoughts would have been for her boys, her last words would have been for her boys, her last hope on this earth would have been for her boys. We are haunted for the rest of our lives with thoughts of her begging for her life and for the lives of her children.
“We feel sure her last words to Alan Hawe were: ‘Do not kill me or our boys,’ and we hope those words haunt that man for eternity.”
