THE BODY OF Alan Hawe has been exhumed from the family grave at St Mary’s Church, Castlerahan, Co Cavan this morning.

Alan and Clodagh Hawe and their three children Liam, 14, Niall, 11, and six-year-old Ryan were found dead in their Cavan home last August. It’s understood that Alan Hawe took their lives before taking his own.

According to the Irish Mirror, who first reported the story, Alan Hawe’s body is being removed in order to be cremated.
Independent.ie report that “a source close to Clodagh Hawe’s family said that the decision to remove Alan Hawe’s remains was taken by his Co Kilkenny family”.

The gardaí confirmed that they were at the scene of an exhumation in Castlerahan this morning.

Cavan County Council has said that while it has a statutory responsibility for processing applications for Exhumation Licences, “it cannot comment publicly on any exhumation that may be carried out under the legislation”.

Exhumations can occur in Ireland as part of a criminal investigation, for public health reasons, or if the family of a deceased person requests that their remains be removed.

Local authorities issue special licenses that authorise exhumations, where the amount of time a body has been buried is considered.

Following exhumation, the remains of the deceased person must be reburied or cremated within 48 hours of exhumation.

If you need to talk, contact:

• Samaritans: 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
• Aware: 1800 80 48 48 (for depression and anxiety)
• Pieta House: 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (for suicide and self-harm)
• Teen-Line Ireland: 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
• Childline: 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s).

You can contact Women’s Aid on 1800 341 900.

Read: ‘Her strength will live on’: Mother and sister of Clodagh Hawe start Women’s Aid fundraising page

Read: ‘A tragedy beyond our understanding’: The murmur of a community in mourning