A 27-year-old woman died as a result of stab wounds all over her body, an inquest into her death has heard.
Daena Walsh, a mother of two, was found by the emergency services at her apartment in John Barry House, Connolly Street, in Midleton, Co Cork, on the afternoon of August 2nd, 2024, Cork County Coroner’s Court heard.
Det Insp John O’Connell said gardaí found Ms Walsh with multiple stab injuries and she was later pronounced dead at the scene.
He said gardaí established when Ms Walsh was last seen alive through CCTV footage which showed her returning to her apartment at at 2.54pm.
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Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster gave evidence on behalf of her colleague, State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney, who conducted a post-mortem examination on Ms Walsh’s remains.
Dr Bolster said Dr McCartney concluded Ms Walsh died as a result of “multiple sharp-force injuries to the face, neck, chest and abdomen”.
Ms Walsh’s partner, Adam Corcoran (30), from Ballincollig, was charged on August 4th, 2024, with her murder at her apartment.
Det Insp O’Connell confirmed criminal proceedings have been initiated in the matter and said a murder trial is scheduled to go ahead at the Central Criminal Court next January. He applied for an adjournment of the inquest under section 25 of the Coroner’s Act 1962.
Cork county coroner Frank O’Connell granted the application and advised Ms Walsh’s brother Paul that if the case proceeds to a full trial at the Central Criminal Court, he would not resume the inquest as all the facts of the case would be heard at the trial.
Mr O’Connell adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow the criminal trial to proceed.
A native of Roundwood, Co Wicklow, Ms Walsh, was described at her funeral mass as “an excellent and beautiful mother”. She is survived by her young sons, Ezra and Kyson, her mother Caroline and brothers Paul, Robbie, Callum and Noah.
