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'You've had enough time now, it's time you came forward' - Family appeal for information 30 years after fatal fire

THE FAMILY of two young girls and their aunt who died in a house fire have appealed for the person responsible to come forward.

Barbara Doyle died in the fire alongside her two nieces. (Picture: An Garda Síochána)

The fatal house fire happened at a house on Church Lane, in Kilcock Co Kildare on September 20, 1987.

The remains of Barbara Doyle, 20, were discovered at the scene alongside her nieces eight year old Mary Ellen Byrne and three year old Kerrie Byrne.

The children’s parents Aidan, who has since passed away, and Elizabeth went to a 21st party that night in the locality while Elizabeth’s sister Barbara babysat her two nieces.

Between 3am and 4am that Sunday morning a fire was reported at the house.

Elizabeth Byrne said her daughters were 'brilliant girls' and their deaths took away their 'life's dreams.' (Picture: RTÉ)

While the investigation remained open since the fire, An Garda Síochána upgraded it to a murder investigation on the 30th anniversary of the incident in September this year.

Speaking this evening in an appeal on RTÉ's Crimecall, the young girls' mother Elizabeth Byrne said: "They were brilliant babies, brilliant girls. Mary Ellen being so reserved, Kerrie being the divil, playing the tricks on the neighbours."

Remembering the last night she saw her young daughters alive, Ms Byrne said: "It was a normal Saturday, I put Kerrie to bed I read her a story and Barbara had arrived, herself and Mary Ellen we're having a Chinese and they were going to go to bed then.

Barbara's sister Pamela called on the person responsible for the fire to come forward. (Picture: RTÉ)

"We left the party at 3am, and walked down the road, and met a neighbour [who said] 'Oh Liz and Aidan, your house is on fire.'

"It's just so hard to believe that in the blink of an eye, your whole life could be devastated.

"We'd lost everything, our family, our two girls, Barbara, our home," she said. "It was a horrible, terrible time. It took away our life's dreams."

Recalling the night of the fire, Barbara's younger sister Pamela said: "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. I just remember them taking Mary Ellen, Kerrie and Barbara in three black bags."

Speaking directly to the person responsible for the fire, Pamela said: "If the person responsible is watching, they've had a life for the last 30 years.

"I think you've had enough time now, it's time you came forward."