A LOCAL COUNCILLOR in the Tubbercurry area of Sligo has said the community is “shocked and absolutely stunned” by the deaths of two young brothers at their home on Saturday.

Nine-year-old Brandon Skeffington was found with stab wounds at the family’s house in Banada, near Tubbercurry on Saturday evening. It is reported today that the young boy was found by his parents when they returned home and was taken by air ambulance to hospital where he died of his injuries.

His older brother, Shane, who was 20-years-old, was also found dead in a shed beside their home and gardaí believe he stabbed his little brother and then took his own life.

A garda source told TheJournal.ie that Shane was known to gardaí for minor offences but had no convictions. Preliminary post-mortem results are due today but gardaí are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with their deaths.

Fianna Fáil councillor Jerry Lundy described the incident as “the worst tragedy that has ever hit this part of the country”.

Lundy offered his deepest sympathy to the family of the two brothers and said the community will do everything possible to console and support them over the months ahead.

“You never get over this type of thing,” he said. “It’s such a fright also for the local national school where this little boy was in third class – all those young boys and girls in the school are wondering what happened”.

Read: Post-mortems under way on brothers found dead at Sligo house>