A WOMAN IN her sixties who is understood to have lain dead in a house at Brookfield Lawn in the Lough in Cork city for at least a year, if not considerably longer, has been named locally as Joyce O’Mahony.

Ms O’Mahony was predeceased by her father Dr Thomas J O’Mahony who had a very successful and large GP surgery in the Lough prior to his death in 2010. A highly respected man he was originally from Denroches Cross in Cork.

Her mother Patricia, who was known as Patsy, was known locally as a stylish, kind and musical person. She passed away in a nursing home in January 2021. It is believed that Joyce was still alive up to some time in 2022 based on a perusal of items in her home.

The body of the deceased lady was found yesterday afternoon after pest control services were called to a premises nearby. They then went to the semi detached house after they strongly suspected that the two storey property was the source of the vermin problem.

The pest control firm contacted the gardaí after the remains were found in the property. The area was sealed off and investigation was launched by gardaí.

It is understood that Ms O’Mahony was extremely private and had not been seen locally for several years. The garden is very overgrown and some neighbours were of the belief that she had left Ireland. A car was parked in the drive.

The tragedy has shocked and saddened locals in the close knit community of the Lough. Many householders in Brookfield Lawn and surrounding areas have lived there for decades and there is a strong sense of community spirit.

Meanwhile, Joyce O’Mahony’s mother, Patsy, was featured in the Irish Times “Lives Lost” series in 2021. The series marked the passing of people who had died of Covid 19.

Patsy O’Mahony, who was originally from the South Terrace in Cork, died at the age of 91. She enjoyed played the piano and had a great love of music.

The couple had four children — two girls and two boys whom they raised at the property not far from the picturesque Lough bird sanctuary. Patsy O’Mahony was a widow for over a decade following the death of her 84 year old husband fourteen years ago.

Meanwhile, the body of Joyce O’Mahony was taken from a downstairs back room to the morgue at CUH for a postmortem examination which will be carried out today. There was no sign of forced entry at the house and foul play has been ruled out. The Coroner has been notified and an inquest will be heard in due course.

Dental records will be used to formally identify the deceased women. Investigating officers are attempting to establish when the woman, who is understood to have been in her sixties, may have died. They will further examine personal items such as post and foodstuff expiry dates in the refrigerator and cupboards.

Statements related to banking will also be looked at to determine when Ms O’Mahony last made a transaction on her accounts. Phone records will also be analysed.

Gardaí, the Cork City Fire Brigade and the Ambulance service attended at the scene.