LAST UPDATE | 19 Jun

TRIBUTES ARE BEING paid to a devoted partner who died in a Roscommon house fire overnight.

The man has been named locally as Des Deegan, aged 72.

The fire happened at a housing estate on the Boyle Road near Frenchpark village, which is around 30km north of Roscommon town. Gardaí and emergency services responded to the scene.

Gardaí were made aware of the incident at 7.15pm, a spokesperson said, and the fire was extinguished by fire services. Emergency services are understood to have responded to reports very quickly.

Roscommon County Council said fire units from Ballaghaderreen and Boyle Fire Stations numbering 20 personnel responded to the scene.

Gardaí, ambulance staff and an air ambulance also attended the scene. Specialist excavation equipment was used at the scene to assist in emergency operations.

Smoke from the blaze could be seen from a great distance away, and it is understood that local residents heard an explosion immediately before the fire. 

The aftermath of the blaze today. Courtesy of Shannonside FM Courtesy of Shannonside FM

The scene remains sealed off for technical examinations and enquiries are ongoing. Gardaí are investigating to determine the cause of the fire, which is not yet known.

Locals said that Mr Deegan, who was originally from Dublin, was a devoted partner to Alice Hetherton (63). The couple had lived at French Park for the past 25 years having met in London and lived in Kerry for a number of years previously.

He was well known in the area and had recently began a fundraiser to renovate his home so that his partner of 35 years could stay with him.

His partner was placed into a nursing home in Co Longford in 2023, following a bleed on the brain and an aneurysm that year.

Local media reports on the fundraiser said Des would visit her every day and that she required frequent and attentive care.

The pair met in London, where they spent 25 years together before settling down in Frenchpark.

The couple also briefly lived in Ballinlough and Co Kerry.

Mr Deegan had launched a campaign locally to adapt the house and bring her home and had set up a Go-fundme page in April of this year.

Locals say he had spoken on local radio about his campaign on a number of occasions. To date the fundraiser has raised almost €7,000.

‘Terrible tragedy’

Independent councillor for the area Micheál Frain, who is also the station officer at Ballaghaderreen Fire Brigade, described last night’s incident as a “tragic event”, adding that news of the blaze has been difficult for the town of Frenchpark.

He said his thoughts and prayers are with the man’s family and the “great community” of Frenchpark.

Fellow local councillor Valerie Byrne said the news of the event has “shocked everyone” and described the event as a “terrible tragedy”. She also extended her condolences to the man’s family.

Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly said last night that his “heart goes out to all those affected by this horrific blaze”.

A number of adjoining properties suffered structural and roof damage as a result of the fire.

One neighbour, Bernard Finley, told Virgin Media News that the explosion “rattled the whole village”. 

“It basically broke the front part of my house nearly off,” he said, adding that debris from the deceased’s home had struck the front of his home, despite being a good 60 metres away.

“It was crazy. That’s all I can say,” Finley said. “I’m still in shock over it. I haven’t slept much last night thinking about the poor man.”

Frenchpark parish priest Fr Michael Donnelly told Virgin Media News that he felt “pure numbness, but yet, feeling lucky”. 

He said the green around the estate is always full of children and said it was fortunate that there had only been one fatality from the incident. 

With reporting by Muiris Ó Cearbhaill, Sean Ryan and Jane Moore