Castlebar House Where Elderly Brothers Were Murdered in 2013 Placed on Market for First Time

Castlebar, Co. Mayo – July 26: The home where two elderly brothers with special needs were brutally murdered in one of Ireland’s most shocking crimes has been placed on the market for the first time since the 2013 tragedy.

Jack Blaine (76) and his brother Tommy Blaine (69) were killed in their home on New Antrim Street, Castlebar, on July 10, 2013. Both men, who were under the care of the Health Service Executive (HSE), suffered fatal blunt force trauma in what the State Pathologist described as an act of “extreme and prolonged violence”.

The post-mortem revealed that one of the brothers had boiling water poured over him, and another was struck repeatedly—approximately 25 times—with a walking stick. The pathologist characterized the nature of the assault as “overkill.”

The attacker, Alan Cawley (26) of Four Winds, Corrimbla, Ballina, had been released from Castlerea Prison just four days before the killings. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder.

The case sent shockwaves across the nation and devastated the local community. In a powerful victim impact statement, their cousin Paul Dunne described Jack and Tommy as “two angels,” noting Jack’s speech impairment, partial blindness, and limited mobility. “They never wanted a fuss,” he recalled, “and would always say everything was alright. But if anyone did something for them, they always made sure to say thank you.”

Mr. Dunne also spoke of their simplicity, noting that the brothers had no interest in television or luxuries, and were content with their modest lifestyle.

The killings deeply impacted the town of Castlebar, where the brothers were well known and loved. Then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny, a native of Castlebar whose constituency office was located just yards from the Blaines' home, called the incident “an act of savagery” and described the brothers as “lovely people who never harmed anybody.”

Now, more than a decade later, the property where the tragedy unfolded has quietly returned to the market—a haunting reminder of a crime that left a lasting scar on the community.