Man arrested in connection with body found in burnt out car in North Cork
The scene near Drumdeer Wood, at Doneraile, Co Cork, where gardaí discovered the body of Mary O'Keeffe on Thursday in a burning car. Picture Dan Linehan
A man has been arrested on suspicion of the unlawful killing of a woman found in a burnt-out car in Doneraile, North Cork on Thursday.
The man, who is aged in his 60s, is currently detained at Fermoy Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
A post mortem on the body of the female recovered from the car is currently ongoing at Cork University Hospital.
Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the Doneraile area between 3pm and 5pm on Thursday, particularly anyone with mobile phone or dashcam footage, to contact Fermoy Garda Station on 025-82100 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111.
Dromahane is today a small rural community reeling in shock at the news of the death of one of their own.
Although few were out and about in the small rain-soaked north Cork village, those who did talk seemed to genuinely struggle with their emotions following the discovery on Thursday of the body of Mary O'Keeffe.
Although she kept herself pretty much to herself and was considered a private, softly spoken woman, the mother of three was well respected by those had got to know her in the 50 or so years that she had lived in the village.
A mother to three boys, two of whom are twins, she was also a devoted grandmother, according to neighbours.
Other than being shocked at the apparent circumstances of her death, villagers also remain baffled as to who could possibly have harmed a woman who is affectionately described as a gem, and a "gas ticket".
One woman who knew her well is Ann O'Shea. Herself and her husband Denis had known the 72-year-old for 48 years.
They had also known her husband Donal, who died about 25 years ago.
Their own children were friends with Mary's oldest son Ger and their twins, Christie and Donal.
“I was only talking to Mary literally about two days ago," said Anne.
“As usual she was very chatty, very cheerful and we asked each other how we were.
“She is in the backyard of her house, which backs onto my own backyard.
"She was always a very friendly, lovely woman.”
She paused briefly, taking a deep breath and repeated: “She was such a lovely warm woman.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she smiled, recalling how Mary “loved the dancing”.
She had also been a keen card player, with '45' being one of her favourite games.
“Although she kept pretty much to herself, she was a fun-loving woman with a great sense of humour.
“She was a gas ticket.”
She added: “She also had a heart of gold and had nursed her brother-in-law Dennis after he contracted cancer.
"She was very kind.
“To be honest, you couldn't find a nicer person.”
Other residents who knew Mary said that she used to dance at the Hazel Tree club near Mallow.
While two of her sons are said to live in nearby Banteer, another of them lives in Dublin.
She was often seen in the village walking her two dogs, one of which is described as being a purebred collie.
One of her twins, Christie, lived with her for a while when he used to run a garage at the house before it eventually closed.
Mary worked as a cook in a sheltered housing project in Mallow — she used to leave her house each day at around 7am to work there.
Mary is believed to have been on a day off on Thursday, the day her body was found.
None of the neighbours the spoke to today had seen her at all on Thursday.
It is not clear when the white SUV she was later found in left her house.
The vehicle itself was the subject of a joke between herself and Ann O’Shea, who lived round the corner from her.
“When she came back with the new 202-reg car, we joked she must be rich,” Ann recalled.
“She laughed and said, ‘Well, I’m broke now.’”
Ann looks genuinely bewildered when asked about what she thinks may have happened.
“I am just dumbfounded about what happened.”
Equally shocked is another friend and close neighbour, 86-year-old former teacher John Joe Kavanagh.
"I have known her for more than 40 years and I taught her lads.
"She was just a kind, sociable woman and a very good neighbour.
“My sincerest sympathies go to her family, her friends and anyone who knew her.
“What has happened is just a terrible thing to see.
“It is just so shocking in every way and to be honest, I think it damages the fabric of a small community such as ours.”
He said the last time he saw her was at the weekend.
“We said hello as usual and, as always, she was very cheerful.”
The only movement at the house, where she lived alone, was the arrival around noon of what appeared to be a female Garda liaison officer in an unmarked car and another woman arriving in a separate, Cork-registered car.
They let themselves in through the immaculate brown PVC door of the cream pebble-dashed corner property.
There were no barking sounds to great them.
“It may seem strange to say this but those dogs were a great comfort to me,” John Joe added.
“To hear them barking was always very reassuring to me at night.
“It’s the little things that can sometimes mean so much.”
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