Cork woman Edel O’Regan has shared how her family’s life was turned upside down—and then lifted up by neighbours – after a fire gutted their home in Dundarrow near Kinsale.
Speaking to guest presenter Paul Byrne on The Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line, Edel explained that the blaze began on July 10th when a carbon monoxide alarm on her son’s belt began beeping. Going to investigate, he spotted black smoke coming from their garage. The house and garage soon went up in flames, and thankfully Edel, her husband Nicky and three children were able to reach safety.
Edel recalled how loud explosions were heard because there were gas tanks in the garage, which contained three cars. Even her mother-in-law’s house next door was totally destroyed by heat. “We were devastated,” she said. “Absolutely devastated.”
Edel and her husband visited their house early the following morning, and were astonished when there were 10 men on site by 7am, complete with tractors and other equipment.
“By 10am, there were 60 people on site and then the whole place was gutted out by 4pm and they were working on the scaffolding,” she said.
Then 36 men worked through sweltering heat to reroof the house in less than two days. She was also bowled over by the generosity of other neighbours who arrived with food to feed the men. “It was unreal,” says Edel. “Very emotional. We just couldn’t believe it.”
As the fire started from the top of the house down, the family were able to save their kitchen and electrics. “We lost a bedroom,” said Edel. “My husband unfortunately, and my son, they lost a lot. A lot of tools, a lot of cars and stuff. We lost beds, TVs, but we were lucky. We were very, very lucky.”
Two weeks after the devastating fire, plasterers have been in to repair the ceilings and now the family is at the painting stage. Edel is very grateful for all the help the community has given to get them sorted.
She and Nicky had already come through a difficult period as he was diagnosed a few years ago with the rare autoimmune condition, Goodpasture syndrome. It affected his kidney and none of his family were a suitable match, so they did what is called a “kidney pairing”.
Edel gave her kidney away to a 31-year-old in England, and Nicky received a kidney back from a 36-year-old woman. “But we came through it and out the end of it,” she says. “And when we saw this [the fire], we couldn’t hit more rock bottom. But by God, this community brought our spirits back up high again.”
