West Cork house fire: Couple in their 70s found dead named locally

The couple’s bodies were removed from their Raheen home as firefighting crews continued working at the scene and gardaí investigated

The house after it was gutted by fire in Raheen, Crossbarry, Co Cork. Picture: Donal O'Keeffe

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026 - 17:58

Ann Murphy and Donal O'Keeffe

An elderly man went back into his burning Cork home to try to save his wife before both died in a horror fire this morning

Willie Hawkes of Raheen, near Crossbarry, and his wife Geraldine were in their home when the fire broke out before 7am. The cause of the fire is under investigation but is understood to be accidental.

Willie was well known in farming circles, having worked until recent years in milk recording with Munster Bovine, while Geraldine had trained and worked as a midwife at the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork.

While the couple did not have children, they had close relatives living locally.

Sources told the Irish Examiner that Willie managed to escape from the house to raise the alarm by contacting emergency services but returned to save Geraldine, with both becoming trapped in their home.

The roof of the house collapsed during the blaze, making it difficult for emergency services to recover Geraldine’s body.

The couple were well known in the local area and were “decent people” who both enjoyed reading.

One man who knew Willie well said he could talk about any topic and was very well read and academic. He added that Geraldine was a “lovely lady who was very well respected”.

“They were very highly regarded," he said of the couple.

The bodies of a couple in their 70s were found at their home in Raheen, near Crossbarry.

Cork County Fire Service, gardaí and other emergency services remain at the scene, approximately 16km south-west of Cork city, as crews continue to work to extinguish the blaze.

The approach road to the property remains cordoned off. Smoke could still be seen rising above the tree cover around the ruins of the house.

A recovery truck also removed a car from the scene earlier on Tuesday afternoon.

Cause of fire under investigation

It is expected that the results of the examinations will confirm emergency services’ belief that the fire was accidental and will form part of the file to be submitted to the local coroner ahead of inquests into the deaths.

The fire brigade tackles a house fire in Innishannon, Co Cork, on Tuesday morning. Picture: Noel Sweeney

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said he had spoken to the man only on Monday while walking his dog.

“It’s a terrible shock for everyone, they were very quiet, very decent people, God rest them,” he said.

Autopsies will take place on both bodies at Cork city morgue. The findings of the examinations and the investigation into the cause of the fire will determine whether a garda file is required for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A Garda statement said: “Gardaí and emergency services are currently at the scene of a fire that occurred at a domestic residence in Innishannon, Co. Cork, this morning.

“As this is an ongoing incident no further information is available at this time.”