Funeral details announced for four killed in arson attack

The funeral details for four members of a family who were murdered in an arson attack on their home in Waterford city have been confirmed.

A joint funeral mass for Kim and Phillip English as well as their two sons, 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden, will take place on Monday afternoon.

The funeral mass will take at the Sacred Heart Church in The Folly in Waterford city at 1pm.

The four family members will be laid to rest afterwards in Kilbarry Cemetery.

Two more children, aged six and 14, remain in a critical condition in hospital at Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin.

Two days on but the full repercussions from the horrific events in the Birchwood estate just after 5 o'clock on Tuesday morning are only now beginning to be felt.

A man and a woman remain in custody tonight, the burnt-out English family home remains a crime scene, and a community remains broken hearted.

Amy McGuire, manager at the Butler Community Centre in Waterford that has been providing a range of services to those impacted, expects the support hub to get busier over the coming days.

Ms McGuire also said the local community has pulled together since Tuesday.

She said: "We have been inundated with donations of food and supplies, and we have a team of counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists who have all come together and are here to offer grief counseling to anybody who needs it.

"I'm sure it will be used a lot more than it is being used now because everybody is still digesting what has just happened.

"The focus is right now on the two kids up in hospital, and obviously the funerals".

Ms McGuire added: "This will go on for many, many weeks and months, and God only knows because none of us, none of even the taskforce who are involved here have faced something like this [before].

"But we we will be there, and we will have this safe space open to anybody who needs it for as long as it is needed."

Meanwhile, at a meeting of the Metropolitan District Meeting of Waterford City and County Council this afternoon, members struggled to put into words the shock and sorrow being felt in their communities.

A minute's silence was observed and the meeting was brought to a close early out of a mark of respect.

Mayor of Waterford Metropolitan District Councillor Lola O'Sullivan also paid tribute to the response by the emergency services earlier in the week.

Mayor O'Sullivan said: "Our thoughts and our prayers are with the family at this time.

"The community of Waterford is is really hurting for everybody involved, and we are extremely grateful to our emergency services, the ambulance crew, the fire service, the gardaí, and the staff at University Hospital Waterford who had to deal with it.

"We are also thinking at this time about those two children who are in Crumlin, who are fighting for their lives.

"And we're also thinking about the community at large who had to face the the unthinkable circumstances that unfolded," the mayor added.

The council has also opened books of condolences in memory of Philip and Kim, and their sons, Callum and Jayden.

They can be signed at City Hall in Waterford or at the civic offices in Dungarvan during business hours.