A couple have been killed in a house fire at a remote cottage in north Mayo.
The blaze occurred overnight in the townland of Muings, Barnatra, near Belmullet.
The house, which was constructed by Mayo County Council, suffered little fire damage but there was extensive smoke damage to the property.
A friend of the dead couple, who have not yet been named by gardaí, discovered there had been a fire in the house when he arrived to collect them this morning.
The remains of the dead couple were removed to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar, this afternoon for post mortem examinations.
The scene has been preserved pending an examination of the scene by garda forensic experts.