Gardaí have opened an investigation following the discovery of two bodies in Glenbeigh, Co Kerry.
The bodies of a man and a woman, believed to be a couple in their 50s, were discovered at a house earlier today. The scene remains preserved and an examination by the Garda Technical Bureau will take place later today.
Early indications suggest their bodies may have lain undiscovered for a period of time, perhaps since late last year.
Gardaí believe the pair may have died by suicide and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
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The bodies of the couple were found at their home near Mountain Stage on the Ring of Kerry outside Glenbeigh early this morning by members of Kerry County Fire Service.
Locals had raised the alarm after they called to the house to check on the couple and found a notice on the door warning people not to enter the house because of possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
Gardaí contacted Kerry County Fire Service and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property where they found the couple dead in one of the bedrooms.
It is understood that the bodies showed signs of decomposition. Gardaí carried out door-to-door inquiries and established the couple have not been seen locally since late November.
Gardaí cordoned off the area. The bodies remain at the scene pending the arrival of a pathologist from the State Pathologist Office to examine the remains.
The bodies will then be removed to the morgue at University Hospital Kerry for a postmortem, which gardaí expect will confirm that both died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Garda technical examiners are also due to examine the house when it has been safely vented by fire personnel to try to establish how the couple filled the house with carbon monoxide.
Investigators are also working to confirm the identities of the couple, who had been living at the house since 2018 but were very private and kept very much to themselves.
They have lived between Glenbeigh and Mountain Stage for about three years. Before that they lived near Rossbeigh.
Local Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill said the discovery of the two bodies was “a terrible tragedy”.
“Nobody knew much about them – even though they’ve been living there for a couple of years but you would see them from time to time in their car or out in the garden.
“Occasionally, you would see them walking on Rossbeigh beach in the evening but again they didn’t engage much with people – it’s very sad and our thoughts are with their families.”
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