Shocked Tipperary community offers prayers for elderly English couple found dead in their home

The elderly couple whose bodies were found by gardaí at their rural home between Mullinahone and Cloneen last week, have been remembered in the prayers of shocked and saddened local residents. 

Residents of Cloneen lit candles in their windows at 7pm last Friday, June 25 in memory of 81-year-old Nicholas Smith and his 79-year-old wife Hilary, whose remains were found by gardaí conducting a welfare check at their home at Rossane, Cloneen on Monday afternoon, June 20.

On the same evening, a minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect to the deceased English couple by players and spectators at the U13 hurling match between CJ Kickhams Mullinahone and St Patrick's GAA Clubs at Anner Park, Cloneen.

Neighbours of the Smiths around Rossane also gathered last Saturday evening for a private prayer service to remember the couple, who had lived in their community for about a decade.

Gardaí are continuing their efforts to try and trace relatives of the Smiths, whose bodies are believed to have lain in the house for around 18 months.

Garda Inspector Sean Leahy of Clonmel Garda Station said they were working with Interpol to trace the couple’s next of kin and have also issued appeals in the media in England for any relatives to come forward.

The Garda investigation into the cause of the couple’s deaths is also ongoing. The gardaí have all but ruled out any foul play by a third party in their deaths. There was no evidence of a break-in to the house or any weapon involved in the deaths. The initial results of the post-mortem examinations didn't find evidence of a murder suicide.

Gardaí have said the results of the post mortem exams were inconclusive and the causes of their deaths remain unknown. They are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to shed more light on why they died.

Cloneen Cllr Mark Fitzgerald said if no relatives of the Smiths are found, Tipperary County Council’s CEO Joe MacGrath has indicated the council is willing to help the local community with funeral arrangements for the couple.

It was Cllr Fitzgerald, who contacted the gardaí to request a welfare check on the Smith’s home after one of their neighbours approached him with concerns over why no one had moved into the house and why the couple’s car remained at the back of the property.

Until the discovery of the couple’s bodies at the house, local people believed they had moved away from the area. It emerged last week that the Smiths, who were very private people, let it be known that they planned to move to France and were selling their house to another couple from England.

Cllr Fitzgerald, who is a publican in Cloneen, spoke out in defence of the people of his community after they were subjected to deeply upsetting and unfair negative commentary on social media concerning the length of time the Smith’s bodies lay undiscovered in the house.

He told The Nationalist the past week had been very difficult for the people of his community due to the shock and sadness of the tragedy and the unfair criticism levelled at them on social media.

Outgoing cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council Cllr Marie Murphy also spoke out in support of the community in Cloneen in her address at the council's annual meeting in Clogheen last Friday.

She said the discovery of the bodies of this very private couple brought lots of “keyboard warriors” to the fore. She described some of the stuff written on social media as “absolutely horrendous”.

Cllr Murphy said the community in Cloneen did lots of work for people who wanted and needed it and pointed to reports of how private the Smiths were and how they wrote a letter indicating they were moving away and selling the house.

She said it needed to be highlighted that people in that community were “very traumatised” by what has happened and what had gone on on social media.

Cllr Murphy said it was only right that volunteers from Cloneen/Drangan were among 89 groups throughout the county honoured at Tipperary Covid-19 Response Volunteer Recognition Event in Thurles last Thursday.

The council’s newly elected cathaoirleach Cllr Roger Kennedy echoed Cllr Murphy’s sentiments and reiterated the council's support for the people of Cloneen. He said there was no blame or fault on anyone over what happened.

Council CEO Joe MacGrath paid tribute to Cllr Fitzgerald for stepping forward to speak on behalf of this caring community. He extended sympathy to everyone in Cllr Fitzgerald’s community at the deaths of Nicholas and Hilary Smith. “May their souls rest in peace,” he added.

Cllr Fitzgerald thanked Cllrs Murphy and Kennedy and Mr MacGrath for their words of support.