Gardaí investigate whether woman was strangled

THE FUNERALS of a young mother and two children found dead after a house fire on Christmas Day are to take to place tomorrow.

The bodies of Sharon Whelan (30) and her daughters Zsara (7) and Nadia (2) were released last night from Waterford Regional Hospital, where they had been the subject of lengthy postmortem examinations.

Gardaí are now investigating the possibility that Ms Whelan was strangled before fire swept through their isolated farmhouse about two kilometres from the village of Windgap, Co Kilkenny, on Christmas morning. Garda technical experts were still examining the remains of the farmhouse yesterday and the road past the house was sealed off because of a gable in danger of imminent collapse.

Officially gardaí have not upgraded their investigation to a murder inquiry, but marks on Ms Whelan's neck suggest it may not have been a tragic accident as was first thought. A series of toxicology and other tests have been carried out on her body over the last few days.

Ms Whelan's family have been anxious to have a funeral for their daughter and two grandchildren since their deaths on Christmas morning.

A private Rosary will be held at Molloy's funeral home in Callan tonight. The removal from Molloy's and funeral Mass will take place tomorrow morning at St Nicholas Church in Windgap, with burial afterwards to the adjoining cemetery.

Ms Whelan's uncle, Pat Hayes, said the release of the bodies would be a help to the family.

"It's a big, big relief. It's been very hard for Christy and Nancy [Ms Whelan's parents]. They can move on a bit now and get to the other side of this," he said.

Mr Hayes said the family knew no more about the status of the investigation than what appeared in various media over the last couple of days.

"Gardaí won't go any further but to tell us that is all speculation," he said. "It is a bit irritating not being told anything. Every newspaper is suggesting there has been an upgrade in the investigation, but the gardaí are simply telling the family that everything in the paper is just speculation.

"When you go from a tragic accident to saying that they are keeping an open mind, it does suggest that something serious has changed in the investigation," he said.