Funeral details for the popular north Dublin couple who tragically died in a house fire at the weekend have been released.
Former Aer Lingus worker Michael Hurley, 70, and his wife Beatrice Hurley, 69, lost their lives in a horror blaze at their family home in Beach Park, Portmarnock on Saturday night.
The couple, who had five children, were extremely well known in the coastal community, which has been in a state of shock since the tragedy unfolded.
A funeral mass for Michael and Beatrice will take place at St Anne's Church in Portmarnock village on Friday, December 11th, at 10am.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the mass will be for immediate family, but it will be streamed live from 10 o'clock on the Portmarnock Parish website.
A notice on RIP.ie reads: "Michael (Mike) and his loving wife Beatrice (Beattie), (née McGovern), passed away tragically at their home in Portmarnock, Co. Dublin on December 5th, 2020.
"Dearly beloved parents of Joy, Dawn, Grace, Michael and Abigail, will be very sadly missed and forever remembered by their children and their partners, their adored grandchildren Matthew, Julia, Ben, Erin, Lily, Jake, Aibhe and Sophie, brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, good friends and neighbours.
"May they Rest in Peace."
Just 12 hours after the tragedy, parish priest Canon John Flaherty visited the house – which is only five minutes walk from his own home – to pay his respects.
He told stunned parishioners he had prayed with the deceased who were still at the scene, before describing the harrowing scene, where a “lone Garda” stood outside the house.
Locals spoke of their shock and sadness at the tragedy.
“There wouldn't be a family in Portmarnock who doesn't know either Michael or Beatrice or one of their wonderful five children,” one told Dublin Live.
