A 30-year-old man has been found not guilty of the murder of his mother last year by reason of insanity.
Seamus Marrinan of Blackfort, Castlebar, Co Mayo, admitted stabbing his mother Carmel 15 times in the early hours of 7 July 2009.
The court heard he believed she was the devil and he had to kill her to prevent the end of the world.
His sister Siobhan, a nurse, gave evidence of being woken up by a loud roar and finding her brother on top of her mother on the stairs.
Siobhan, her father and another sister attempted to resuscitate her mother but she was pronounced dead a short time later at Mayo General Hospital.
Two consultant psychiatrists told the Central Criminal Court that Mr Marrinan had schizophrenia.
The court was told he did not know what he was doing was wrong when he killed his mother and could not refrain from killing her.
Mr Marrinan's family wept as they listened to the evidence and gathered around their son and brother as they waited for the jury's verdict.
After deliberating for nine minutes the jury returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
The verdict means Mr Marrinan will continue to be detained and treated in the Central Mental Hospital.
Afterwards members of Mr Marrinan's family shook hands with him and hugged him.
