Castleview Park is an estate of about 50 two-storey houses and bungalows on a small rise in Edenderry, Co Offaly town, built in the late 1960s.
Many of the people in the estate are elderly, people who raised their children together and know each other well.
Everyone The Irish Times spoke to on Sunday knew the two women who were in the house when it burst into flames on Saturday evening.
The victims were named on Sunday evening by Gardaí as Mary Holt (60) and Tadhg Farrell (4). Another woman is being treated for serious injuries in Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore.
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But everyone was hesitant to speak on the record, made nervous by reports the fire might have been the result of an arson attack by people with links to the drug trade.
“I knew them to see, to say hello to,” said one elderly woman who lives near Castleview, referring to the two women who were in the house.
Asked if it was a quiet neighbourhood, she said it was, began to elaborate and then stopped and wouldn’t speak further.
“It is just mad, crazy, and people are afraid,” said another woman. “I’m stunned. It’s a little housing estate. All the neighbours know each other. It is just stunning.”
At about midday on Sunday two hearses arrived for the removal of the bodies. The road up to the charred front of the house was cordoned off. The bodies were placed in the hearses and as they were being driven away a woman in a small huddle of people standing outside the Garda cordon was crying and being comforted.
Up by the town hall on O’Connell Square, an open step-in Garda community van was in situ, a member on duty in case people might want to talk to him about what had happened.
“We were just out for a walk and we saw the guards, and they were saying it was horrific,” said Caron Cleary, who has been living in Edenderry for a number of years with Patrick Kelly.
“We saw the house. It was all cordoned off. It is just shocking. A murder scene.”
People should not jump to conclusions, said Mr Kelly.
“This may have been a very tragic accident. It may not have been a deliberate attack.”
But a man walking near O’Connell Square appeared more certain that fire in the house had been started by people linked to the drug trade.
“There is a problem with drugs in every town in Ireland,” he said.
“It is an epidemic, and the problem is we just don’t have enough guards on the street. But then again, they are under pressure and there is not enough of them.
“Like I said, it is an epidemic.
“It’s not right, and it should not be happening,” he added. “This is what is wrong with society now. Things like this shouldn’t happen. The guards just have to step up and do something.”
Outside Edenderry Garda station, Supt Liam Geraghty of the Garda press office was addressing the media, getting the message out that anyone in the Castlepark area between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday should get in contact.
“This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home,” he said.
The remains of both deceased were removed in coffins from the scene.
Local Independent councillor Fergus O’Donnell lived in Castleview for 20 years, a few yards from the house that was attacked, and knew the family well.
“The local community, the friends and neighbours and community at large are disgusted and our thoughts and prayers are with them.
“The fact that the innocent have suffered is terrible,” he said.
