LAST UPDATE | 24 Jul 2025

A FIRE THAT devastated a family home in Co Cork ultimately brought a community together in an “unreal” show of support, a local woman said.

Speaking on Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line with PJ Coogan, Edel O’Regan shared how earlier this month, she was sitting down with her family at their home in Dunderrow near Kinsale when her son entered the house’s garage.

“He had a carbon monoxide alarm on his belt and he went into the garage and he just heard a beep,” she told presenter Paul Byrne.

He then discovered that there was black smoke coming from the corner of the garage and ran and alerted the family.

The house and garage went up in flames. The fire worked its way down from the top of the house, leaving the foundation and kitchen in place.

The family lost cars, a bedroom, tools, TVs and beds in the blaze.

Edel O'Regan Edel O'Regan

The fire brigade came to the scene and managed to put out the fire before it could do any further damage throughout the house. The family are yet to discover the cause of the fire.

“We were devastated. Absolutely devastated,” Edel said.

“But to be honest, within 24 hours our spirits were lifted.”

By 7am the following morning, there were ten men on the site with machinery and equipment, and by 10am, there were 60 people there.

“They had the whole place gutted out by 4pm and they were working on the scaffolding. Unreal.”

Edel O'Regan Edel O'Regan

Edel said that whole experience was “overwhelming” and “emotional”.

The crew worked through the weekend, with 36 men working to have the O’Regans house roofed and slated by Sunday evening.

Others contributed by providing the workers with breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the repair while local farmers brought water tanks.

Edel told the radio programme that the saga left the family “totally overwhelmed by the community we have”, and that they are incredibly proud to be part of the Dunderrow community. 

“We thought we’d be looking at ruins for a year. Now we’re painting walls two weeks later.”