RTE’s Ryan Tubridy was left emotional on his radio show this morning when speaking about the tragic deaths of Chelsea and Christy Cawley and Lisa Cash when he suddenly had to go off-air.
The presenter opened the show with a poignant message dedicated to the siblings and admitted he found it hard to look at their photos.
After some music, Tubridy tried to return to the show but was overcome with emotion. He was forced to go off-air following a pause.
Read more: Tragic Dublin twins were callously thrown out top window of Tallaght home after being stabbed
Tubridy began by speaking about the 8-year-old twins and said: “Today, I looked at the photographs. I try to avoid them. Being honest with you, I’m not strong enough to look at these things.
“When you see the photos today of twins that are 8 years old, of Chelsea and Christy Cawley, they’re making their First Holy Communion.
“That’s what happens when you’re twins and you make your First Holy Communion, you pose for a photograph. You get your hair done. You wear the white dress, as Chelsea did, and you wear your three-piece suit like Christy did.
“They look like two kids who are going to have the best day of their lives, and maybe they did that day.
“There’s devilment in their eyes too. They look like they’re the kind of kids I would have loved to have met and had a laugh with, maybe on Toy Show day or something like that.”
He then went on to say that 18-year-old Lisa Cash looked to be on the “cusp of adulthood” and that she had a “very bright future”.
Following some music and some messages sent in by listeners, Tubridy began to say that the programme had originally been planned to go in a different direction, but it was clear that people wanted to “grieve”.
He then began to get choked up, only able to sigh and tap what sounded like a pen. After the pause, an emotional Tubridy said: “I’m going to have to hit the song, I’m afraid.
“Sorry about this now,” he then whispered.
He returned afterwards and said: “You would think I would be a bit more able for it all but sometimes, it just gets you.”
Tubridy then invited the principal of the school that Lisa Cash attended to speak with him. Kevin Shortall from St Aidan's Community School joined on-air to talk about Lisa and the community who was hit by the horrific tragedy.
The broadcaster admitted he had been listening to Kevin on Morning Ireland and said the story had “swallowed” him up.
Kevin said: "I woke up yesterday morning to the news. As you said, it just gets under your skin.
"As the reality of what happened starts to dawn and messages start coming in, you begin to try and appreciate the gravity of it all. I didn't sleep a whole pile last night wondering about everything that had to happen today.
"It's not about me, but from my point of view as principal, we worry about the responsibility you have towards the community."
"We're struggling, but we're strong and we're here and we're going to be here from people at this awful time."
Throughout the show, Tubridy also paid tribute to Jack de Bromhead, the 13-year-old son of Henry de Bromhead, who passed away over the weekend in a horse racing accident.
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