The husband of a woman who fatally stabbed her two young sons before taking her own life has spoken about the love he feels towards his wife despite his grief at the loss of his entire family.
Brian Keegan, husband of Mary Keegan (41) and father of Andrew (5) and Glenn (9), made his comments following an inquest at Dublin County Coroner's Court yesterday into the death of his sons and his wife.
The three died at Killakee Walk, Firhouse, Dublin, on February 12th when Mrs Keegan first stabbed her two sons to death before taking her own life.
"I would like to state clearly that I am proud to have known and married Mary. She was the most loving and generous person I ever met and was an inspiration to me and our beautiful children Glenn and Andrew," Mr Keegan said in a statement released by his solicitor yesterday.
"Unbeknownst to myself and those close to her, Mary became over a short period of time engulfed in depression. This led to Mary's actions on that fateful day.
"There is, however, no anger in my heart towards her as her actions were borne out of a will to protect our children from the harshness she perceived in this world, however inconceivable or incomprehensible this may appear to us," the statement continued.
A jury yesterday returned a verdict of death by suicide in relation to Mrs Keegan's death and an open verdict in the death of Andrew and Glenn, Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty confirmed.
The cause of death of all three was multiple stab wounds.
Dr Geraghty advised the jury to record an open verdict rather than one of unlawful killing in relation to the death of her two sons as section 30 of the Coroner's Act states that an inquest cannot imply criminal liability.
The inquest heard evidence that Mrs Keegan was suffering from delusions of poverty and became psychotic as a result and that had she survived, she would have been considered insane as she was incapable of fully understanding what she was doing.