This morning Ryan Tubridy struggled through his RTE radio show and had to go off air as he was overcome with emotion.
The broadcaster was speaking about the tragic deaths of Chelsea and Christy Cawley and Lisa Cash when he was suddenly unable to speak. Opening the show, he admitted it was a story he was finding difficult to come to terms with.
He began the show saying that 8-year-old twins Chelsea and Christy reminded him of children he would meet on the Late Late Toy Show. The RTE host was clearly shaken by the tragedy and said he struggled to look at the images of the children.
Read more: Tragic Tallaght children were 'thrown out top window' after being stabbed to death
"I'm trying to avoid the photos. I'm not strong enough to look at these things."
He then played some music and tried to return to his show but was unable to continue. Clearly overcome by emotion, there was a long pause and he was forced to go off air. He then went on to play some music and moved on to an add break.
He came back on air and explained he was having a hard time talking about the tragic events in Tallaght.
"You would think I would be a bit more able for it all but sometimes it just gets you. And that's the truth of the matter. So sorry about all that and here we go," he said.
Tubridy went on to read out heartbroken messages sent in from shocked listeners.
"We all have a pain in our hearts this morning," wrote in one listener whose child went to school with one of the victims.
"Trying to comprehend the murder of three young siblings slain in their own home is unbearable," wrote in Carmel.
Read more: Tragic Lisa Cash was a 'quiet' girl and 'a lovely big sister' who could always be trusted
Ryan then invited the principal of the school where 18-year-old Lisa Cash attended to speak live on air. Kevin Shortall at St Aidan's Community School joined Ryan to talk about Lisa and the community who was hit by the horrific tragedy.
Tubridy admitted he had been listening to Kevin on Morning Ireland earlier in the morning but said he had "lost the professionalism" and said the story "has swallowed me up”. He continued, “it's gotten under the skin of the nation and is so hard to fathom"
Kevin told Ryan: "I woke up yesterday morning to the news and as the reality starts to dawn and messages start coming in you begin to try and appreciate the gravity of it all. That was just growing and growing all day yesterday. 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 a principle we worry about the responsibility we 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."
Read next:
- Follow LIVE updates from the Tallaght tragedy here
- Locals react to the shocking incident
- Warning as videos of Rossfield incident shared on WhatsApp
- Neighbours' horror as child 'dangled from window' as Tallaght community in mourning
- School expresses 'deep sadness' over loss of tragic twins in Tallaght
