'Some family could be looking for this person': Body found in Cork house may have been there decades

Gardaí have launched an investigation following the discovery of human remains in a boarded up house in Mallow, which may have been there for over 20 years.

A body was discovered in a house on Beecher Street in Mallow town at approximately 12pm on Friday, and the scene has been preserved.

A Garda spokesperson has said that no foul play is suspected at this time, and the body is believed to have been at the scene “for some time”.

As reported in The Irish Times, food items found in the fridge at the house date back to 2001, leading Gardaí to believe the person could have been dead in the house for at least 20 years.

Mallow Councillor Liam Madden said that the property is one of two boarded up derelict houses on the “very busy” Beecher Street, with frequent traffic passing between Mallow town and the N20, and only a few doors down from the Mouse Trap pub.

He said that it is an “extraordinary situation” that the body could have been there for 20 years.

“Someone said it might be someone local, but I find that hard to imagine myself. But look, it has happened before in other towns and villages where someone has been found… If they are local, it’s a very sad reflection that someone didn’t miss this person and say where would that person be,” he said.

While the identity of the body is yet unknown, Cllr Madden said that a past resident at the property was rumoured to have moved to the UK.

“The big thing is identification now, it is going to take a long time. It could be someone local… in some of these places that are boarded up, people have gone in there to sleep… it could be anyone,” he said.

“It’s very sad that there’s some family out there that could be looking for this person,” he added.

Gardaí say that enquiries are ongoing.