THE victim of a house fire in Co. Longford at the weekend has been named as an 83-year-old former schoolteacher.
Mary Ann McNerney died following the blaze at her home in Camagh, near Abbeylara, shortly after 7pm on Saturday.
The fire brigade were called after neighbours spotted smoke and flames rising above the remote rural house.
The pensioner's body was recovered from the scene of the destroyed property after the fire was brought under control by units from Castlepollard and Granard.
Local councillor PJ Reilly told the Irish Independent that the local community had been left in shock by the tragic news.
"It's very unfortunate that a tragedy such as this has come upon the village of Abbeylara," he said.
"It's all the more tragic when you consider that this was an elderly woman who lived alone and that she couldn't be saved.
"Mary Ann was well known in Abbeylara. She had only done her shopping there a few hours before the fire.
"She got a taxi into town and was dropped home. She was trying to keep warm in the sudden cold, I suppose. It's very sad".
Cllr Reilly added: "She was a teacher in her working days and then lived with her brother. She has a sister in England and a niece and nephew, who will be coming to Abbeylara to make funeral arrangements.
"Our sympathies go out to them and to the local community."
It is understood that Ms McNerney lived alone at the house following the sudden death of her brother William there in February 2017.
No one else was in the house at the time of the blaze.
Ms McNerney's body was removed to Mullingar Hospital where a post-mortem examination was carried out.
The scene of the fire has been preserved by Gardaí. Foul play is not suspected.
