Jamey Carney: ‘Dark cloud’ over Killarney as death investigated

Councillor O’Donoghue, who is also cathaoirleach (mayor) of Killarney, said he did not know Ms Carney personally but had often seen her walking in the area.

He said he understood she was mother to a young teenager and lived in a house in the Homeland estate on Muckross Road.

He explained it was a small and relatively new housing development in a “very desirable” part of the town which is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Mile”.

Speaking about how the mood in the local community had changed, O’Donoghue said the town had been “covered in glorious sunshine” over the past few days.

“There was a real almost festival atmosphere,” he said, adding local residents and tourists had been out in the streets enjoying the warm weather.

“When this news broke yesterday, it was just like a dark cloud came over the town,” he said.

Another councillor, Niall O’Callaghan, told BBC News NI: “We’re devastated, we send deepest sympathy to the family.”

“I’m really sad and disappointed that this has happened to someone who was living in our community,” he added.

O’Callaghan expressed hope that people would come forward to assist the gardaí with their investigation.

Gardaí said they have set up an incident room at Killarney Garda station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation.