Inquest held into deaths of elderly couple whose remains were found in Cloneen last year

An inquest has been held into the deaths of an elderly couple whose bodies were found in a house near Cloneen last year.

The couple were dead for at least a year when their remains were found at their home in Rosanne, Cloneen on June 20 2022.

The couple,  Hillary Smith, 79, and Nicholas Smith, 82, were originally from England and had lived in the area for about ten years.

At the end of the inquest, which was held in Clonmel, open verdicts  were recorded by coroner, Joseph Kelly.There was no evidence of outside involvement or injuries or trauma, the inquest was told.

Following the discovery in Cloneen last year local councillor Mark Fitzgerald  spoke of his community’s deep “shock and disbelief” at the discovery of the deceased man and woman.

The couple  were originally from England and moved to the house, located off the Mullinahone to Fethard Road, about 10 years ago.

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They are understood to have been private people who kept to themselves and didn’t mix with the local community. Locals understood the couple had moved away and there was a general assumption that no one was living in the bungalow.

Fine Gael Cllr Mark Fitzgerald contacted the Gardaí to request a welfare check on the couple after one of their neighbours approached him with concerns.

The neighbour felt it was odd that no one had moved into the house and the couple’s cars remained parked there.