It was a normal Saturday night for Elizabeth Byrne when she left her sister, Barbara Doyle babysitting her two daughters, Kerrie Byrne (5) and Mary-Ellen Byrne (8). But it was a night she would never forget. 

 

A blaze killed all three family members in the early hours of the morning. Now, Elizabeth and her other sister, Pamela are speaking for the first time on Crimecall tonight on RTE about the devastation that was caused that night in Kilcock, 30 years ago. The family are also appealing to anyone with information about the blaze to come forward.  This September the case was upgraded to murder after new information came to light.

 

"We were getting ready to go out... I put Kerrie to bed and read her a story and she was asleep...and I got ready then... I came down and Barbara (21) had arrived, and herself and Mary Ellen were sitting here... I went out to meet Aidan and we went to the party.”

 

These were the last moments Elizabeth would see her babies alive. Elizabeth and Aidan returned home from a local 21st birthday party at around 3 am to find their home in flames. After hearing about the fire, Pamela and the rest of the family quickly arrived at the house. 

We just didn’t know where anyone was... We looked for them and couldn’t find them... then when the firemen got into the house, we were told they were here. just remember them taking Mary Ellen, Kerrie and Barbara out in three black bags...

 

Elizabeth painfully recalls the impact the fire has had on all their lives:

 

It’s just so hard to believe... that just in the blink of an eye that your whole life could be devastated... We lost everything... our family - our two girls, Barbara, our home.

 

Elizabeth often wonders what life might have been like watching her daughters grow up:

 

You go through the years. And even now their friends are all getting married... So we missed out on all of that...It was a horrible terrible time... it took away our life’s dreams.”​​​​​

 

Pamela says what the family want now, 30 years later is knowing the truth:

 

We would find peace knowing what happened to them that night.

 

She bravely appeals directly to those who started the fire:

 

 “If the person responsible is watching... you’ve had 30 years walking around with this. I don’t know how anyone could walk around for 30 minutes with that on their conscience. They’ve had a life for the last 30 years. Barbara Mary Ellen and Kerrie haven’t. It’s time you came forward.” 

 

Gardaí are appealing directly to those who may know what happened that night. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimecall on 1800 40 50 60 or the Garda confidential line 1800 666 1111

 

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