The man who died in a mobile home fire in Connemara at the weekend has been named locally as Micheál Ó Cualáin from Inverin.
Mr Ó Cualáin lived alone at the mobile home at Cor na Rún. It is believed that the fire started accidentially and the alarm was raised around one o’clock on Sunday morning. Two units of the fire brigade rushed to the blaze and the 64-year-old’s body was discovered at the scene. The body was removed to University Hospital Galway where a post mortem examination was carried out.
Gardai from Salthill carried out a forensic examination of the scene to establish the cause of the fire which is not being treated as suspicious. Connemara Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh expressed his condolences to Mr Ó Cualáin’s family and friends. “The loss of life in such circumstances is always tragic and especially so at this time of year, I wish to extend my condolences to the family and local community at this time. Gaeltacht communities are close knit and a loss such as this can hit particularly hard.’’
The Sinn Féin senator also paid tribute to the emergency services for their tireless work. “These people work round the clock, to keep us safe throughout the year. I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to be extra vigilant to the threat of house fires around the festive season and to ask neighbours to check in on those living alone around them. Hopefully in the future, we can cut the risk of tragedies like this recurring.”
