The family of long-missing Cork woman Tina Satchwell have told of their grief and pain on hearing earlier this week that their loved one had been found dead and buried in the house where she had lived in Youghal in east Cork.
The Dingivan family told how they were devastated in a message that they sent to the organisers of a vigil in Youghal on Saturday afternoon when over more than 200 people gathered to pay their respects to the Fermoy woman who spent less than a year among them before her life was ended at the age of 45.
“There are no words to describe the pain in our hearts right now, Tina – if we knew the last time we met was going to be our last, we would have hugged you extra tight,” said the Dingivan family in a message that was read at the vigil by Youghal parish priest Fr Bill Bermingham.
The family said that their sister and aunt was someone who radiated such positivity that she put “a smile on everybody’s face” as they spoke of their sadness and the depth of their loss after their six-year-long wait for news of her ended this week with the news that she had been found dead.
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“Everyone who knew and loved you will always cherish the moments they spent with you – fly high, our angel, you will always be in our hearts,” said the Dingivans, who also expressed their gratitude to the people of Youghal for organising the vigil to remember their loved one.
More than 200 people had gathered in bright sunshine at the Mall beach, just over 100m from where Ms Satchwell had lived and where her remains were found on Wednesday wrapped in black plastic in a grave dug deep under the stairwell before the area was concreted over.
Several people brought their dogs in a poignant reminder that Ms Satchwell was a dog lover who lavished affection on her dogs, Ruby and Heidi, and they listened intently as Fr Bermingham explained the reason for the vigil as he stood on the small town beach against the backdrop of Youghal Bay.
“We pray today for Tina’s family as we gather here and I would like you also to spare a thought for Tina’s neighbours here on the Mall and on Grattan Street because it is a very distressing time for them knowing that such an occurrence happened in their midst,” he said.
Fr Bermingham said it was particularly distressing for the people of Grattan Street to learn that Ms Satchwell had not been properly buried as the people of Youghal, along with all people of Ireland, were people who respect human life but those values had been spurned by what had happened.
People lit candles in memory of Ms Satchwell, with many placing the flickering flames in front of a photo of a smiling Ms Satchwell, whom many said they knew to see from walking her dogs in the seaside town which she had made her home after moving there in 2016 from Fermoy.
It’s understood that Richard Satchwell, who is charged with his wife’s murder, has waived his right to have her remains examined by his own pathologist and her body is expected to be returned to her family in the coming days, with funeral arrangements expected to be finalised next week.
Mr Satchwell, who was charged at a special sitting of Cashel District Court on Saturday morning with the murder of his wife at their home on March 20th, 2017, contrary to common law, has been remanded in custody to appear again at Clonmel District Court on Tuesday by video link.
Meanwhile, gardaí are continuing to examine the three-storey house on Grattan Street where Ms Satchwell’s remains were found on Wednesday night but it’s expected gardaí will not seek to have it extended as a crime scene and technical examiners will vacate the property over the weekend.
