A PRAYER VIGIL was held at St James’s Hospital this evening, where a woman is in critical condition following the apartment fire in Clondalkin earlier this week.

It is believed that Biddy O’Brien underwent surgery this afternoon. Her young children – four-year-old Jordan and three-year-old Holly – died in the fire that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

They had been visiting O’Brien’s pregnant cousin Annemarie who, along with her two-year-old daughter Paris, died in the fire.

The apartment where the fire broke out was being used as short-term accommodation, where women and children can stay for up to two years.

Father Paul O’Driscoll led prayers at the hospital this evening.

He told RTÉ News: “It’s just shocking. It’s beyond words.

There’s two sides of the coin. There’s the pain, the loss, there’s the helplessness that everyone feels. And then there’s the presence of family and friends… that seems to be consoling. That’s giving people strength.

It is believed that the first of the funerals for the victims of the fire will be held on Monday.

Read: Woman and two young girls killed in overnight apartment fire

Read: ‘They were just looking for a bit of peace’: Tributes paid to woman and children killed in Dublin fire