Tributes to priest and lecturer who died in Kerry house fire

A priest and retired lecturer in his 70s died in a fire in his house in Fenit village near Tralee yesterday morning.

Fr Gearoid O’Donnchada was a retired lecturer, local historian, and sociologist, and was the driving force behind commemorations to do with St Brendan the Navigator, the sixth-century Kerry saint who is said to have sailed out of Fenit and discovered America. Fr O’Donnchada was also behind a number of research projects into life in Kerry.

The fire in the village was spotted at 2am and three fire tenders attended the scene. They managed to bring the fire under control by 4.30am.