Three people, a man, a woman and a four-year-old child were discovered dead in a fire-damaged house some four miles from Ardfert, Co Kerry yesterday.
The fire may have taken place over the weekend but was not discovered until yesterday when a caller visited the dwelling in a remote area.
Their deaths are believed to be due to smoke inhalation.
The two-storey detached house, at Parknagearagh, is on a country road some 1½ miles from the main Causeway to Ardfert road. There are no houses in the vicinity.
The interior of the house was damaged but the exterior was completely undamaged.
There was extensive internal smoke damage and the fire may have started in a cooker in the back kitchen.
The woman and the 32-year-old man were discovered in the downstairs living room. The child was found upstairs by gardaí.
The house was being rented by the 26-year old woman and her four-year-old son, according to locals.
It is understood a relative of the woman called to the house at around 5 p.m. yesterday and uncovered the tragedy.
Gardaí said a full technical examination was being carried out.
The fire may have occurred on Saturday night or some time on Sunday, gardaí said.
The parish priest of Abbeydorney, Father Jack Fitzgerald, who visited the scene of the fire, said news was only filtering through late yesterday.
"People are stunned and shocked.
"Their thoughts are with the families of the people concerned," Father Fitzgerald said.
The dead were not named last night.
However, it is understood they are from nearby villages.