The discovery of the bodies of a couple at their home in south Kerry is another case of reclusive people dying on their own and remaining undiscovered for some time.
Gardaí are awaiting postmortem results on the bodies of a couple, named locally as David (52) and Hazel Byrne (51), who were found in their bungalow at Mountain Stage outside Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry. Early indications suggest they may have died as long ago as early October.
People lying deceased and undiscovered in their homes for days, weeks or longer is not new, but over the last decade it has become a more frequent occurrence in Irish society.
One of the most extraordinary of these cases came to light in January 2023 when the remains of Kerryman Tim O’Sullivan (61) were found at his boarded-up house in Mallow, Co Cork. An inquest heard evidence that suggested he had died 22 years earlier.
While most cases involve individuals, it is not unknown for couples to be found dead long after they died. This was the case for retired English couple Nicholas and Hilary Smith who were found dead at their home in Cloneen, Co Tipperary, in June 2022 – 18 months after they were last seen alive.
The phenomenon is not just confined to rural Ireland; there have been cases in cities such as Dublin and Cork and towns such as Wexford, New Ross, Mitchelstown, Castletownbere and Knock, showing that geographical isolation may not be a factor.
Sociologist Dr Mark Ward, of Trinity College Dublin, has looked at isolation and loneliness among the elderly as part of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda), but he said the trend of people becoming more reclusive was not just confined to older people as young adults were also self-isolating more.
“The opportunity or ability to self-isolate from other people has increased an awful lot because we can do so much now from our home – you can do pretty much everything online without ever leaving your home now if you have even a basic bit of tech,” he said.
“I think it’s a lot more possible to isolate yourself now from face-to-face interactions and still shop, bank and do all the things that previously would trigger concerns when somebody didn’t show up, and then obviously you get these sad cases where somebody is dead for weeks and not found.”
Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn has come across several such cases over the last 20 years. He points to the challenges that society faces if somebody is determinedly reclusive and just wants to be left alone.
“It’s difficult for family if somebody wants to be left alone – they could make their concerns known to the district nurse who could call around,” he said.
“Other than that it’s the neighbours you have to rely on, but if somebody wants to cut themselves off and no contact it can be very difficult to ensure all is well.”
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