Books of Condolence open locally for victims of Carrickmines fire and Louth shooting

Locals can pay their respects to the Garda who died on duty in Louth yesterday and the 10 people killed in the Carrickmines fire on Saturday.

Books of condolence will open from 2pm this afternoon at City Hall in Kilkenny.

The Garda Representative Association says its lost a brother in blue and Ireland has lost a hero following the murder of Garda Tony Golden in Co Louth.

Meanwhile the Taoiseach says flags will fly at half mast during the funerals of those who died in the blaze at a halting site Carrickmines.

Kilkenny Mayor Joe Malone who is chairman of the local Traveller Accommodation Committee says he visited the Kilkenny halting sites yesterday where people have been left numbed by the tragedy.