A teacher is believed to have stabbed his wife and three young sons to death before turning the knife on himself in a suspected murder-suicide in Ireland.

The bodies of five family members were discovered at the home in Oakdene in Ballyjamesduff in County Cavan early this morning.

Two policemen found the body of Alan Hawe, alongside the bodies of his wife - Clodagh - and their three sons Liam, 13, Niall, 11 and six-year-old Ryan.
The three boys were found dead upstairs in their bedrooms while the husband and wife were discovered downstairs.

This afternoon five hearses  arrived at the family home as the coffins carrying the victims were driven away from the scene.  

Mr Hawe, believed to be from County Kilkenny originally, was the first year teacher and deputy principal at nearby Castlerahan National School, which was due to start back after the summer break.
Niall and Ryan were both pupils at the school and the eldest boy Liam was a past pupil.

Mrs Hawe, from Co Cavan, taught at Oristown National School in Co Meath.  

According to The Sun, it is believed police in Ireland are probing the theory that Mr Hawe stabbed his wife to death first before he then killed this three sons.