Fire claims life of priest and lecturer (82)

Fire fighters rushed to the scene early this morning.

Majella O'Sullivan

A house fire has claimed the life of an elderly priest and lecturer in Co Kerry.

Fr Gearóid Ó Donnchadha (82) was taken from the house at the Island Road in Fenit by firemen in the early hours of yesterday.

His remains were removed to Kerry General Hospital where a post-mortem examination is being carried out.

Gardaí investigating the blaze say it's too early to say what caused the fire but it is thought to have started accidentally.

Although Fr Ó Donnchadha had been in poor health for a number of years, he had only celebrated Mass the previous morning.

Fr Ó Donnchadha was born in Cork in March 1933 but grew up in Killarney and was well known around the county.

He previously served in Rathmore, Sneem, Tralee and Castlegregory, as well as in the UK in Manchester and Birmingham.

Tributes were paid to the teacher, scholar, gentleman and seafarer.