Residents of Tipperary estate near where the grim discovery of a body was made are in shock

The discovery of a woman’s body outside Clonmel has shocked the people of the Old Bridge area, who live near where the body was found.

Gardai sealed off an area near the Holy Year Cross outside the town and preserved the scene following the discovery of a body on Monday afternoon at about 3 pm.

READ MORE:Body of a woman found in Tipperary as gardaí launch investigation

The body remained at the scene overnight, awaiting the arrival of the State Pathologist, who was due to carry out a preliminary examination before the body was transferred to Waterford University Hospital for a post-mortem.

Locals fear that the discovery of a body in a gulley made by a person out walking in the area may be linked to the disappearance of  36-year-old woman Grace Benyin, who lived in Clonmel, who has been missing since November 19.

All day Tuesday, locals in the Old Bridge, out walking their dogs or going to the local shop, were stopping to talk about what happened a short distance from where they lived.

The Glenegad Road access from the Old Bridge to the Holy Year Cross remained open on Tuesday, while the access to the Holy Year Cross from the Roaring Springs Road area was closed off, with only locals who lived on the road up to the mountain allowed to drive through.

It is understood that the discovery was made in the vicinity of the car park area that is on the way up to the Holy Year Cross.

“People are shocked to think that such a discovery was made so close to us all and so close to Christmas. A lot of people walk up and down that road to the Holy Year Cross every day. People living here are hoping that it is not the body of the woman who has four children who was missing,” said a local person.

The missing woman was from Ghana, and it is understood she settled in Clonmel some years ago. She works as a midwife at Tipperary University Hospital and is a mother of four children who go to school in the Clonmel area.

Searches in Clonmel had taken place for the missing woman, and a vigil was held earlier this month as locals gathered to pray for her safe return home.

Another vigil was planned to take place in Clonmel on January 2.

In a statement issued on Monday morning, the Garda Press Office said the results of the post-mortem will assist investigating gardaí in determining the course of the investigation.