Coroner must summon witnesses for inquest into Macroom fire

A coroner is to issue summonses for several key witnesses who failed to attend a joint inquest yesterday into the deaths of two men in a house fire.

Coroner for West Cork Frank O’Connell said he felt there was a “concerted effort” by several witnesses to “boycott” the inquests into the deaths of Noel O’Mahony, who was in his 60s, and Kenny Relihan, who was in his 20s, following the blaze in St Colman’s Park, Macroom, last May.

Mr Relihan’s mother, Noirin McAuliffe, who suffered serious injuries after escaping through an upstairs bedroom window, chose not to attend the proceedings, the inquest was told.