Skull found in West Cork garden linked to house with decades of transient guests
Gardaí were called, and the garden was immediately sealed off as a possible crime scene. Picture: Dan Linehan
Gardaí are set to review a list of people who lived at a house in a remote part of West Cork where a skull was found wrapped in a plastic shopping bag.
It is understood to have been found on land surrounding the back garden of the house at Faunkill, near the village of Eyeries.
The skull was discovered inside an old SuperValu shopping bag near an old motorhome in the middle of the wooded area where clearance work was being carried out.
Gardaí were called and the garden was immediately sealed off as a possible crime scene.
According to a cursory study of the remains, the skull appears to be from around the 1990s, but it is not clear yet if it is the skull of an adult or a child, or of a male or a female.
While the house itself has been owned by a Dutch family since 1993, the original registered owner died in 2017.
He was survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, a daughter-in-law, and his grandchildren.
One of those involved in the clearing work is understood to be a family friend.
The woman is understood to have moved into the house and had started clearing out garden areas to build a polytunnel when she found the skull.
While the couple lived at the house since the 1990s, they also let people stay in the old motorhome in a wooded area of their land, which is next door to a quarry.
Several people passing through the area are understood to have stayed in it for various amounts of time over the past 20 or so years.
One of those is understood to have been a clairvoyant, while others are described as “the sort of people who lived off the beaten track and away from society and other people.”
A member of the Dutch family was asked for a comment, but they declined.
A garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí were alerted to the discovery of partial human remains at a location near Eyeries, Co. Cork yesterday afternoon, Friday 18th April 2025.
“The scene is currently preserved pending technical examination.
“The remains, believed to be a human skull, were removed for further examination and DNA analysis.
“Enquiries are ongoing. No further information is available at this time.”
Cork County Council councillor Finbar Harrington said: “This is shocking.
“Nothing like this sort of thing happens around here and I cannot off the top of my head think of any particular missing person’s case.
“You might hear about discoveries of remains dating back 100s of years but if what you are saying is true and these would appear to be more recent, then that is very disturbing.
“My thoughts and prayers are for this person’ family.”
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “Everyone is pretty shocked at this.
“The young lady doing the clearing work couldn’t believe it when she found it.
“She got straight onto the Gardaí and they went down to take a look, and now the whole garden has been sealed off.
“I suppose they want to see if there are any other body parts in there and to see what else was dumped with the skull.”
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