A vulnerable recluse who shunned help to live life he wanted

Vulnerable recluse Christopher ‘Gussie’ Hornibrook, 73, was loved and cared for but shunned help to live the life he wanted, his devastated family said.

Cork City Coroner’s Court was told that Gussie lived alone in an unkempt, mid-terrace, two-storey home on Templeacre Avenue described as unfit for human habitation.

He was well-known and liked in the community — people knew his daily routine and watched out for him. He was never seen without his peak cap, he fed bread to the birds, and liked going to a local chipper.

But he kept to himself and effectively lived in one of the downstairs rooms, burning sticks and old clothes to say warm.

His devoted brother, Robert, who was 81 at the time, called to his house almost daily with groceries — mostly John Player Blue cigarettes, bread, milk, and ham. Robert’s daughter Sheila said Gussie wanted it that way. “He was happy. This is what he wanted. There was loads of help, but he didn’t want it,” she said.

But she and her sisters said Robert never really recovered from Gussie’s death and died himself seven months ago.

The inquest heard there were no locks on Gussie’s front door — he used a stone and a flattened can to keep it open all the time. During the winter months, people would often come from the city to sleep in the house.

Gussie was robbed at home about a decade ago, and afterwards, kept nothing of value there. He preferred to use coins, not notes, in case he was robbed again.

Next-door neighbour Tony O’Sullivan described him as a very independent man who, although people offered, didn’t want help. But he said he heard people demanding money in the house on several occasions.

Det Sgt Denis Lynch said Gussie’s family and neighbours were good to him. “It was by choice that he left the door open. He was well respected in the community,” he said.