Warm tributes paid to man murdered in derelict Cork house

Warm tributes have been paid by family and friends to the man whose dismembered body was found in a derelict house in Cork city over the weekend.

The body of Frankie Dunne, (64), a native of Churchfield on Cork's northside, was found by a man searching for his cat in the grounds of Castlegreina House on the Boreenamanna Road around 4pm on Saturday.

Gardaí had to use fingerprint data to identify the dismembered body of Mr Dunne such was the extent of the injuries to his face and head.

Family members have issued a statement through the late Mr Dunne's niece, Susan Marty, in which they pay tribute to their late brother and uncle, whom it is understood has a number of adult children.

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"Frankie, you're at peace now. May God give you the best bed in heaven. You were one of a kind, a character, one of the funniest people to know. We are numb and in shock," the family said in a statement to Virgin Media News.

They told how they tried to help Mr Dunne even as recently as last week but “sadly you preferred the streets” even though at the time of his death, they said he was not homeless but “living in a lovely place for the homeless”.

The family said Mr Dunne would be sadly missed by his brother, sisters, children and friends and while what happened to him was truly shocking, they will “remember him in happy times”. The family has appealed for privacy.

Meanwhile, Cork Simon, with whom the late Mr Dunne had engaged for several years, also expressed their sympathies to his family and everyone who knew him on his tragic death at the weekend.

Condolences

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Francis Dunne and the people he shared the house with on Boreenmanna Road. Our thoughts are also with the staff and volunteers who supported Francis."

It's understood Mr Dunne had stayed at the Simon Shelter on Anderson's Quay on a regular basis going back two years or more but he had moved into their high-support house, Clanmornin House on Boreenmanna Road in July.

Mr Dunne was also known to the staff of Cork Penny Dinners, where voluntary co-ordinator, Caitriona Twomey remembered him as "a gentle, inoffensive man who never caused harm to anyone".

“I would have known Frankie a long time - he was totally harmless, he never hurt anybody - he was a gentleman and there was never any problem with him - Frankie was Frankie and he never imposed on anybody,” she said.

“He’s been homeless a very long time but he was never troublesome at all. Eveveryone in every area has someone like that. They don’t stand out but they do stand out, because they are not troublesome, if that makes sense?

“But everyone had the highest regard for Frankie. We mightn’t see him that often, he would do his own thing and he always had a way of sorting himself out but people are very upset and hurt over his death.

“He would have been popular and it’s very hard to imagine anyone wanting to harm Frankie. You would never expect anyone to be going after Frankie or turning on Frankie. Everyone here today is so sad for him and for his family.”

Investigating gardaí have appealed to the public for assistance and have asked anyone who noticed anything suspicious at Castlegreina House since Christmas Day to contact them at the Bridewell Garda station in Cork on 021-4943330.