Woman's body found by workers five years ago still in storage

Items of clothing and shoes were also recovered at the scene where skeletal remains discovered at a construction site on the Midleton to Youghal Greenway in Cork. The Garda investigation is 'still very much alive and ongoing'. Picture: Gardaí

The body of an elderly woman found over five years ago near an old railway line in East Cork remains in storage as attempts to identify her continue.

The body was found by workers near the Shanty Gate at Westpark, outside Midleton, on January 5, 2021. 

The workers who made the grim discovery of the skeletal remains were working on a greenway project in the area at the time.

Efforts to identify the woman through DNA failed. Several people came forward for testing as part of that process, but no link could be proven between them and the remains.

An autopsy, as well as a forensic anthropology examination, was conducted on the remains.

The coroner for South Cork, Frank O’Connell, told the Irish Examiner: “The remains have been retained and have not been buried. The Garda investigation is still very much alive and ongoing.” 

The nightdress discovered at the scene where skeletal remains were found.

No date has been set for an inquest into the death of the woman. The objective of an inquest is to establish the identity of the deceased, as well as where, when, and how the death occurred.

Mr O’Connell said: “I do not propose to hold an inquest before the Garda investigation has been concluded, or at least reached a point where no further avenues of investigation remain open. Holding an inquest at this stage will not resolve the question of identity. 

"Indeed, if the remains are ultimately identified, it may not be necessary to hold an inquest, as it is possible that this lady’s death and the cause thereof is already recorded.” 

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It is believed that the woman may have been previously buried because a crucifix and other items found close to the remains are believed to have been from a coffin.

According to gardaí, the remains are believed to be those of a female older than 70 years of age at the time of her death. She is believed to have been between 5ft and 5ft 2in in height, with a large frame. 

She is also believed to have suffered from arthritis, and she wore dentures. 

An item of clothing, 50 inches in length and thought to be a nightdress, was found nearby.

The remains are currently on a publicly accessible database of the State’s unidentified remains on the Department of Justice’s website.

Mass for missing people

Meanwhile, a remembrance Mass for missing people and their families will be held in St Mary's Church in Sandyford, Dublin, on Saturday, October 10, at 2.30pm. 

It will be celebrated by Fr Aquinas Duffy, who has worked with missing persons cases and set up www.missing.ie, following the disappearance of his cousin Aengus Shanahan in February that year.

In 2018, DNA technology used on bone fragments found in the Shannon estuary eight months after the disappearance identified the remains as those of Mr Shanahan.