Cork woman found dead in her home by pest controllers after not being seen since 2022

Joyce O'Mahony had ignored aggregate interaction attempts from household erstwhile she was recovered dormant astatine her location successful Lough, Cork, successful May past twelvemonth by a antheral who thought her location was derelict

A pistillate who laic dormant successful her location for astatine slightest six months had not been seen successful 2 years, an inquest has heard.

The skeletal remains of Joyce O'Mahony were discovered successful her location successful Lough, Co Cork, past twelvemonth by a antheral carrying retired pest power who thought the semi-detached location was vacant. Eoin Grant recounted his fearfulness astatine prising his mode into what helium thought was a derelict property, lone to beryllium met with Joyce's remains.

The 57-year-old had lived thing of a hermit existence, Cork coroners court heard, usually lone leaving her location astatine nighttime for groceries. She was discovered erstwhile Mr Grant utilized a crowbar to get into the house, believing the neighbour's mice occupation was coming from there.

The tribunal besides heard however the 57-year-old had rebuffed "countless attempts" from family to assistance her. Gerard O'Connor, Joyce's next-door neighbour, said: “I’d spot her the unusual nighttime going to Supervalu. You would ne'er spot her during the day.”

He added that Joyce's sister had antecedently sent Garda officers circular successful concern, but that she “told the guards that she didn’t privation immoderate interaction with anyone”. “You would spot the lights connected astatine the backmost of the location astatine night,” helium said.

Mr O’Connor added that the airy was connected astatine the backmost of the location each night, Cork Beo reports. He assumed Joyce was turning it connected successful the evening. He said helium past saw Joyce successful idiosyncratic successful October 2022, seeing her locomotion past outside.

The deceased had fixed him a cardinal years earlier for emergencies, but aboriginal took it backmost aft her parent died. Mr O'Connor said that had been his past interaction with Joyce. "Covid came and past you wouldn’t spot anyone. I was inactive moving then. I did displacement work,” helium said.

Evidence from Joyce's GP Dr Claire McCarthy described her arsenic “sad and reclusive” with a past of intelligence health and property upset issues. The doc said it was her knowing Joyce had worked successful an X-ray section successful the UK.

A connection from Joyce's household said she had go "withdrawn" pursuing her father's decease and that they made made attempts "on a fig of occasions" to scope out. Joyce had aboriginal been a carer for her parent with dementia, the household said, but rebuffed attempts astatine support.

“We made attempts to scope retired to her (Joyce), done 'on spec' calls to the location and with notes nether the beforehand door, but again to nary avail. When our parent died, during the tallness of Covid-19, we kept Joyce informed of the ceremonial arrangements and offered to put transport truthful that she could attend. She didn't prosecute and didn't attend.

"It was with large sadness and shock, then, that we learned, successful May 2024, that Joyce had been tragically recovered dormant successful the household home.” The household added that they would retrieve Joyce astatine her champion arsenic a “lively intelligent and susceptible person”.

“She had an fantabulous consciousness of humour and had a idiosyncratic involvement successful fashion, euphony and horses. Sadly, earlier and aft she moved backmost from London to Cork successful 2010, determination was a notable alteration successful her and she became withdrawn and uncooperative, yet rebuffing countless attempts by the household to scope retired to her successful person, by phone, substance oregon email. We held a small, backstage ceremonial work for Joyce successful June 2024. We anticipation that, now, she tin remainder successful peace.”

Coroner Philip Comyn said that determination was nary third-party engagement successful the death. An unfastened verdict was recorded. Mr Comyn offered his sympathy to the O’Mahony household whom helium said “found themselves successful a hard position” erstwhile Joyce became much and much “reclusive and withdrawn”. He stressed that determination was nary “lack of empathy” for Joyce but she wanted to unrecorded a reclusive life. Unfortunately, she was connected a “downward spiral” which was nary uncertainty worsened by the pandemic