Gardaí in Cork are expected to launch a murder inquiry following the discovery of a body in the grounds of a derelict house in the city on Saturday afternoon.
A man’s body was found by a neighbour in the grounds of a house known locally as “The Castle” on Boreenmanna Road on the city’s southside at around 4pm.
The remains indicate the man suffered severe injuries to his upper torso.
Gardaí were alerted and immediately cordoned off the scene outside the house.
Gardaí began door-to-door inquiries and they have also begun harvesting CCTV footage from the area which is at the city end of the Boreenmanna Road near the junction with the South Link Road.
It is understood that a pathologist will visit the scene on Sunday with the body remaining at the scene overnight, protected by a tent.
It is expected that the body will be removed on Sunday to the morgue at Cork University Hospital for a postmortem.
It is understood that gardaí believe the postmortem will confirm the man’s injuries could not have been self-inflicted and gardaí will formally launch a murder investigation following the examination.
Locals say the house, which dates from 1892, has been derelict for more than a year since the previous occupant, a woman who lived there on her own, went into a nursing home.
“A lot of homeless people have been going into drinking in the grounds there in recent times and only a few months back gardaí caught two guys on the roof of the house,” said one local who did not wish to be named.
Gardaí have begun liaising with homeless charities in Cork including Cork Simon which runs a residential centre on Boreenmanna Road to see if any homeless person has been reported missing in recent days.
Gardai have also appealed for witnesses or anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in area over the past few days to contact them at Anglesea Street Garda station on 021-4522000.
