Bid to identify man who died in Cork hospital fails

No positive DNA match has been made to the man, who died in September 2021

The man had been a patient at St Stephen’s Hospital in Glanmire in September 2021. Picture: Denis Minihane

Families of missing people from as far away as the US have made contact with authorities in Ireland in the vain hope that a man who died in a Cork hospital three years ago might be their lost loved one.

However, their hopes have been dashed as, to date, no positive DNA match has been made to the man who has since been buried in St Finbarr’s cemetery in Glasheen in Cork city.

The man had been a patient in St Stephen’s Hospital in Glanmire in September 2021. 

Attempts were made to work out who he was while he was still alive, but he died before any identity could be established.

DNA sampling was taken but so far that has proven fruitless despite his case attracting so much interest from abroad.

It is understood that one person from the US submitted DNA for testing against the man’s DNA profile on the State’s DNA database because they had a missing male relative who they have been unable to trace. 

However, no match was made with the man who died in St Stephen’s.

It is thought that efforts to identify him are not helped by the fact that no photo of the man has been published for the purpose of identification.

Gardaí have confirmed the man's case still remains open.

His details are listed on the Department of Justice’s human remains database, along with 47 other cases.

It is not known where the man was from but he had been in Cork for a number of years. 

He died of natural causes, according to the results of an autopsy.

It is understood that if a DNA match is made, an inquest will take place to confirm his identity.

According to the Department of Justice, DNA profiles have now been now generated from 43 of the 48 bodies on the unidentified human remains database published by the department in May 2023. 

Further exhumations are expected to take place next year for the generation of the remaining DNA profiles.