Robert's classmates receive counselling
Schoolchildren have received counselling after the body believed to be that of their classmate Robert Holohan was found close to Inch Strand in Cork, it emerged today.
The Midleton CBS primary school enlisted the help of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), which provided three trained counsellors.
Principal John Flynn said the counselling services would remain in place over the coming weeks.
“People are availing of them and if someone needs them later on, they’re only a the phone call away," he said.
He said the school was trying to provide a routine for its 288 boys, many of whom attended classes with the 11-year-old.
“We had to establish a routine to get the children back to normal. But today was much harder. We’re pretty depressed,” he said.
Robert Holohan went missing on January 4 after eating dinner with his family in Ballyedmond, near Midleton. He called a friend at 2.36pm on his mobile phone but could not be contacted afterwards. His BMX bike, which had been given as a Christmas present, was found close to the family home.
Mr O’Flynn said all of the pupils and teachers in the school were devastated at the news of the discovery of the body in dense undergrowth, around 10 miles from Midleton.
It had been dumped just feet from the road which leads to Inch Strand, a beach in East Cork popular with swimmers and surfers.
“This wasn’t expected. When finality comes it’s not nice. I’ve never had anything like this before and hopefully I never will have again,” said Mr Flynn.
He expressed his condolences to the Holohan family on behalf of the school.
“We sympathise completely with the family. They have been fantastic,” he said.
Meanwhile, the body was left at the scene overnight while members of the Garda Technical Bureau examined the area.
The two approach roads to the beach were cordoned off last night and gardaí were manning checkpoints around the area.
The State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy arrived at the scene at 12.35pm to begin a preliminary post-mortem examination. It is expected to take up to two hours.
