GRIEVING FATHER-OF-THREE Andrew McGinley has revealed he plans to stay living in the house where his children died last year.
Conor, 9, Darragh, 7 and Carla, 3, died tragically on 24 January 2020 when they were killed by their mother Deirdre Morley, who was suffering from a severe mental health disorder at the time.
Morley admitted to smothering all three.
Last week she was found not guilty of their murder by reason of insanity.
Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror following the conclusion of the trial and one of the most difficult weeks of his life, McGinley said that while the home they shared in Newcastle, Co Dublin may be the place where they died, he still associates it with many happy memories.
“It is lonely sometimes, I have TVs and radio on to have a bit of noise in the house,” he said.
“I’m a logical and a practical person, but I had a bit of an experience last summer that led me to question some beliefs.
“I went to visit a medium and they told me about a dozen things only me and the kids would know.
“One thing that came out was the kids want me to be happy, they want me to make the house a home.
“So by hook or by crook even if I wanted to move I think they want me to stay.
“Despite what happened there was a lot of happiness and joy in this house, everywhere I look I can see a bit of that.”
During the trial it emerged that Morley had spent one month at an in-patient clinic run by St Patrick’s Mental Health Services following a breakdown in July 2019.
Deirdre Morley (R) was found not guilty of the murder of her three children Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley by reason of insanityMcGinley hit out at the handling of her treatment in the months leading up to the deaths and the fact he was not made aware of the fact her mental health was deteriorating again.
“By late January we could see signs of Dee on her way to recovery yet it comes out in evidence in court she was in fact declining and they were concerned,” he said.
“That is deeply troubling.”
He added: “The HSE issued a one-line statement saying they would welcome a meeting with me, but they didn’t tell me how to go about it or who to contact.
“Dee was in the professional care of the HSE. Nobody from the HSE has been in contact with me since the children died.”
McGinley is now planning to write a series of children’s books in memory of his kids.
“The two lads were prolific comic book writers under the logo Homemade Comics Inc,” he said.
“I’m going to take some of those characters and I’m going to write children’s books.
“Conor and Darragh and Carla will feature as characters in these books. They had such short lives; I’m hoping these projects will keep their memory alive.”
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