"I knew that something terrible had happened. I just had that feeling."

The heartbroken mum of woman killed by her husband along with her three sons told an inquest that she "knew something terrible had happened" when she arrived at the family home. Clodagh Hawe and her three sons Liam, 14, Niall, 11, and six-year-old Ryan were killed by her husband and their father, Alan Hawe, last August at their family home in Cavan. He afterwards took his own life. Mrs Hawe's mother, Mary Coll, told an inquest into the deaths of the family that she had found a note on the back door of the house. The note, she said, asked for the gardaí to be called. According to RTÉ, she told the hearing:

"I was just about to put the key in the door when I saw the note. "I knew it was Alan's handwriting. I knew that something terrible had happened. I just had that feeling."

Mrs Coll told the inquest that she drove to her daughter's home after Clodagh didn't show up on time to drop off two of her sons. She recalled during the hearing that she didn't go into the house, but rang 999 then went to a neighbour. She added:

"I told them I think Alan has done something terrible, that Alan had killed them all. "I knew it was Alan's handwriting."

A jury of six women and one man are hearing the inquest in Cavan courthouse. As the hearing opened, Coroner Mary Flanagan said that it was a "particularly emotive inquest". Dr Flanagan said that the hearing was intended to establish four limited but factual questions: who the deceased were; when they died; where they died; and how they died. Officers who were the first to enter the family home gave evidence that revealed Mrs Hawe was found lying face down on the sitting room sofa in her pyjamas and dressing gown. The inquest was told that there was a pool of blood. Mr Hawe had been found in the hallway. The hearing was also told that Liam and Niall were found in their beds in the bedroom they shared upstairs. Garda Aisling Walsh wiped away tears as she recalled the scene during the hearing. She said:

"They had no signs of life. "They had their duvets on them."

Ryan was found alone in his room, still in his bed with his duvet on him. The inquest was told how, as well as the envelope that had been taped to the inside window of the back door, a number of notes were found by gardai. The inquest has been adjourned until tomorrow. If you or anyone you know has been affected by any of the issues in this article you can contact the help-lines below:

• Samaritans: Freephone - 116 123; Text – 087 2 60 90 90 (standard text rates apply); www.samaritans.org
• Pieta House - 1800 247 247.
• Children and Adolescents can access: Childline Helpline - 1800 66 66 66. Childline - Text “support” to 50101 (available between 10 am – 4am daily).
• Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline - 1800 341 900.