Stand-off over burial of woman goes to court

Jimmy Woulfe Mid-West, Correspondent

The dead woman’s husband and father are locked in a legal argument over whether she should be buried in Limerick or Cork.

The deceased’s husband wants her buried in Kilmallock, Co Limerick, but the dead woman’s father wants her buried in Cork.

The deceased’s body remains in a Limerick hospital morgue awaiting a ruling from the High Court.

Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne is to consider an application today by the dead woman’s father to have his daughter buried in Cork. Yesterday, a family law barrister associated with the case told the High Court that she had an application to make “under the Guardianship of Infants Act” and asked that the proceedings be heard in camera.

Ms Justice Dunne directed that everyone not associated with the proceedings leave the court. It was learned afterwards that the application had been adjourned until 2pm today.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on the woman’s body over the weekend after gardaí began investigating the circumstances of her death.

However, while it was a sudden and tragic death, foul play is not suspected.

It is understood there are a number of issues in dispute which will be the subject of High Court proceedings later today. It is believed the legitimacy of the couple’s marriage is in dispute. They were married by the controversial Bishop Michael Cox who ordained singer, Sinead O’Connor.

Two undertakers, one in Limerick and another in Cork, have been engaged by the two families to look after the arrangements.

On learning that there was a dispute about the funeral, gardaí were deployed at the Mid-West hospital over the weekend and extra personnel were drafted into Kilmallock.

A garda spokesperson said this was a precautionary matter following an incident at a funeral in Kilmallock last February involving people known to the families. A shot was fired at that funeral and weapons were confiscated.