A somber candlelit vigil was held on Wednesday evening in County Louth to honor the lives of Mark and Louise O’Connor and their 27-year-old son Evan, who were tragically found dead in their rural Drumgowna home earlier this week. The Irish police, Gardaí, confirmed that the family had suffered “violent deaths,” sending shockwaves through the community. Hundreds of mourners, including Archbishop Eamon Martin, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, gathered at the Stonetown Community Walking Track to pay their respects. Fr Gerry Campbell led prayers, expressing the profound grief felt by the community, stating that the tragedy had “sent ripples of grief across our parish and beyond.” The O’Connors were well-known advocates for autism services, having co-founded the Drogheda Abacas Special School in 2003, where Evan was one of the first students. The school paid tribute to the family on its Facebook page, remembering them as “passionate advocates” for autistic individuals. In a shocking turn of events, Robert O’Connor, 31, another son of the couple, appeared in court on Tuesday, charged with three counts of murder. He was remanded in custody and is set to appear again on October 6. Taoiseach Micheál Martin expressed his condolences, calling the killings “appalling” and a “really sad and shocking event.”