A 31-year-old man appeared in court in Limerick yesterday charged with murdering two women and two children.

John Geary, with an address at 31 Meadow Court, Newcastle West, Co Limerick, was charged with the murders of Sarah Hines (25), her son Reece (3) and baby daughter Amy (five months), and Alicia Brough (20) at a semi-detached house in Newcastle West last Monday. He is originally from north Cork.

Relatives of the victims were in court for the brief hearing and several hundred people had gathered outside the courthouse. The district court in Newcastle West heard Geary made no reply when the charges were put to him at Henry Street garda station on Friday evening.

He was granted free legal aid and remanded in custody to appear in court again next Friday.

There was also a request that he receive any medical assistance required while in custody. The accused man's right arm was in a sling because of a hand injury.

Gardaí had anticipated that hundreds of people would go to the courthouse in Newcastle West and security was extremely tight as a result.

Geary was arrested in west Clare last Tuesday.

Gardaí at Henry Street received directions to charge Geary shortly before 5pm on Friday evening.

Technical examinations at the house where the four victims died from stab wounds, at Hazelcourt in Newcastle West, were continuing this weekend.

Arrangements for the funerals of the murdered women and children were being finalised in Co Cork and Co Limerick.

Originally from Cheadle, Staffordshire, in England, Alicia Brough's funeral mass will take place in Co Cork, where her family moved to six years ago.

Her removal will take place at 7.30pm this evening from Allen's funeral home in Rockchapel to St Peter's Church. Her funeral mass will take place at 2pm tomorrow followed by a private cremation ceremony.

Brough is survived by her parents Paul and Maria Dempsey, and siblings Josiah (15), Isaac (13), Jacob (9), Eoghan (5) and Hannah (3).

The funeral arrangements for Sarah Hines and her two children are currently being finalised.

Hines is survived by her mother Abina, stepfather Peter Rolfe and her seven brothers, Chris (23), Damian (22), Jesse (20), Josh (14), Lewis (12), Ben (11) and Adam (7).