‘Beyond comprehension’: Neighbours of bachelor farmers

IN THE early hours of yesterday morning, locals living near the Hennessy farm could sense something was wrong. The narrow roads in rural Corragorm are never busy, nor are they built for two-way traffic, so when they were awoken by the buzzing noise of a convoy of cars they knew something tragic was unfolding in their little community.

“When I saw the Garda vehicles my heart was in my mouth and I had this horrible feeling in my gut,” said one neighbour.

“It really is a tragedy beyond comprehension.”

Brothers John, Paddy and Willie were known locally as the ‘Saint Hennessys’ and their deaths have shocked the north Cork area.

John and Willie were both bachelors and John lived on the family farm. They kept to themselves mostly, but their neighbours still made sure they were looked after.

“For the last 20 years I brought them up Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, but I might not have got the plates back until March,” said one family friend.

“They were very quiet men who lived isolated lives. One of them had never been to a doctor. They were hard workers and genuine countrymen.

“They were mad into GAA and loved supporting Cork, but for some reason they were always fierce interested in what Limerick were doing.

The two of them were mad into cycling as well and could cycle 50 or 60 miles in one day.

“And although they kept to themselves they still knew the low-down about everyone in the area, even the new people who moved in.”

Just down the road from Killacluig church, close to where the red Toyota Corolla at the centre of an urgent appeal yesterday morning was discovered at an unconnected farmhouse, a local farmer shook his head in disbelief.

“I couldn’t believe it when I found out ‘the saints’ were dead,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense. They were just normal farmers trying to get by, like the rest of us.”

It seemed cruel, in a way, that the sun was shining on such a dark day for the area.

With the backdrop of the Galtee mountains visible from the Hennessy farm, it seemed unthinkable such horror could occur in such a beautiful part of the country.

Those in the tight-knit community didn’t want to speculate about what happened, but feared it was something to do with the farm. One neighbour, pointing to the galvanised roof of the old Hennessy farmhouse from his backyard, said: “We weren’t aware of any trouble, but nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors.”

At around 4pm, gardaí who had cordoned off the road leading to Killacluig church began to make their way back to Mitchelstown, around 10km away.

One Garda vehicle was towing the inflatable boat which had been involved in the search for John, who was recovered dead from the River Funshion. His brothers Willie and Paddy were discovered with severe head

injuries at the farm.

Assistant State Pathologist Margaret Bolster arrived at the scene shortly after midday, tasked with carrying out the post-mortems.

It is the second suspected murder-suicide she has worked on in Cork in the last four months, after athe postmortems in Kanturk when Mark O’Sullivan (25) was shot by his father Tadg (59) and younger brother Diarmuid (23) in October following an inheritance dispute.

Now another Cork community is sadly reeling. The surrounding area in Corragorm comprises mostly of farmland and a small number of houses.

Anne Baker, a beef farmer and chairperson of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in north Cork, knew the family well. While she also didn’t want to speculate about the circumstances, she alluded to the difficult life farmers lead.

“They were highly regarded and well-liked people,” she said. “I was shocked when I found out. They were known all over north Cork for their business selling firewood and bales of hay.

“I would have known Paddy the best. He lived in Mitchelstown and used to work at JD Tyres. He would have replaced tyres for me and fixed up my car, he always had a smile on his face”.

Ms Baker said the farming community was devastated.

“Farmers by nature live isolated lives but we look out for each other. It’s a difficult occupation and presents a lot of challenges and stresses.

“The Hennessys were genuine, honest to God people. They were pure, gentle people. While we don’t know exactly what happened, I want other farmers who may be struggling to know that there is help out there.”