Son in hospital, bodies of couple remain at death scene

EXPERTS from the Garda Technical Bureau have begun examining the scene at a house near Irishtown, where the bodies of an elderly couple were discovered last evening (Tuesday).

Gardaí say they are keeping an 'open mind' on the deaths of Tom Fitzgerald, a community activist, and his wife, Kitty. Both remains showed signs of extensive injuries.

The couple's son, Paul, was injured in the incident early yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and is recovering from head injuries in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

The bodies of Mr. Fitzgerald, who was in his seventies, and his wife, Kitty, who was in her sixties, remained overnight at their bungalow home pending a full scale forensic and technical examination.

They will be removed later to Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar for a post-mortem examination by a State pathologist.

It is understood the post-mortem won't take place until tomorrow (Thursday) due to the heavy workload faced by the State pathologist this week. A number of suspicious deaths around the country are currently being investigated.

Local parish priest Fr. Martin O'Connor said many worshippers were in tears at evening Mass on Monday when news of the deaths of the popular couple broke.

Fr. O'Connor described Tom and Kitty as 'saint-like', stating they had been actively involved in church and community affairs, with Tom frequently acting as a minister of the Eucharist at Masses in the local Church of the Holy Family.

Mr. Fitzgerald was a well known painter and decorator.

The family bungalow, which remains sealed off today, is located deep in the countryside, about a mile from Irishtown off the main Irishtown to Dunmore road in south east Mayo.