THERE was shock and sadness in the Conamara area this week following the deaths of two people in a house fire on Tuesday morning.

Sunny Jacobs (78) and Kevin Kelly (in his 30s), died in the fire that occurred in their bungalow at Gleann Mhic Mhuireann, Casla, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The alarm was raised at approximately 6.20am with Galway Fire Brigade personnel from the station in An Cheathú Rua on the scene shortly after.

Fire Brigade personnel from Galway Fire Station, Gardaí and ambulance units were also at the scene before 7am, with a specialist fire fighting team — equipped with breathing apparatus — entering the residence.

The team found a woman in a bedroom, before bringing her outside and placing her in the care of ambulance personnel — they then re-entered the house where they found a man in another bedroom.

Medical first aid procedures were put in place for the two people, but shortly after, both were pronounced dead at the scene before being taken to University Hospital Galway where post mortem examinations were carried out this week.

The late Sunny [Sonia] Jacobs was a United States citizen who had lived in the Conamara area for many years and was married to Peter Pringle, who died last year at the age of 84.

Kevin Kelly is understood to have worked as a carer in a home-help capacity for Ms Jacobs, who had not been in good health over recent years.

Both Sunny Jacobs and Peter Pringle had been wrongfully convicted of murder in separate cases and each faced the death penalty before eventually being exonerated by courts in the US and Ireland respectively.

Local postman and councillor, Michael Leainde, said that he had fond memories of both Sunny Jacobs and Peter Pringle down through the years and they had been very happy in their life together in Conamara.

“Sunny was a very intelligent and friendly woman who loved to keep in touch with all that was going on in the world.

“If you mentioned something to her one day that she didn’t know anything about, the next time you’d meet her, she’d be well versed on the issue.

“We’re all very shocked and saddened at the deaths of Sunny and Kevin Kelly — it was terrible news to hear on Tuesday morning,” Michael Leainde told the Connacht Tribune.

Pictured: The road closed by Gardaí near the house in which Sunny Jacobs and Kevin Kelly died during the fire at Gleann Mhic Mhuireann, Casla.