Neighbours in shock as childhood friends die

Even though they had just moved into the area, the young couple renting the dormer cottage on Abbey Lane in Kinsale, Co Cork, bought a baby present for their neighbours when their son was born four weeks ago.

“We had introduced ourselves when they moved in and we thought it was very nice the way they came over with the present for baby Donnacha,” said Colin McCarthy. “It is very, very sad. They were a lovely young couple.”

There was shock around Mandeville Terrace that Michael Coleman, a chemical engineer, and his friend Liam Coffey could die after a suspected drug overdose.

Mr Coffey was only in Kinsale for the weekend. It is understood he was also considering moving to the area, and wanted to discuss the matter with his friend.

Mr Coleman had just put in his first week at Eli Lilly. He completed his degree earlier this year at Cork Institute of Technology.

His girlfriend was studying for a HDip in education at UCC and had started teaching practice at Kinsale Community College this month. She was described as “traumatised” yesterday.

Neighbours say the couple moved to the area in the last five weeks. “They were a nice, quiet young couple. It was nice to see them walking into town together in the afternoon,” said one.

There was huge sympathy for Mr Coleman’s girlfriend, who woke up yesterday to find the two men not breathing.

It is believed the two childhood friends were enjoying something of a catch-up. Mr Coffey had travelled to Kinsale for the night to see the couple’s new home and to hear about his friend’s new job.

“He must have been over the moon to have got that job at Eli Lilly,” said a neighbour. “To have just graduated and got a full-time job, that is brilliant these days.

“I just feel so sorry for her. To have woken up and to have found that is absolutely awful.”

Locals were also surprised that the house may have been used for drug-taking.

“It wasn’t a party house. We didn’t hear music from there,” said a neighbour.

One man said he heard shrieks from the house early yesterday, and rang the gardaí.

Minutes later, he saw an ambulance pull up outside.

A Garda technical examination has now taken place. The bodies remained at the scene until 1pm yesterday when deputy state pathologist Margaret Bolster completed an initial investigation. The full autopsy will take place today.