A man who died in a house fire in Hollyhill on the northside of Cork city overnight has been named as master brewer Peter Lyall, who worked in the drinks industry in the city.
Mr Lyall (62) was pronounced dead at the scene after a blaze broke out at his home in Ardcullen estate at around 12.45am in the early hours of Monday. Firefighters from Anglesea Street and Ballyvolane stations attended the property.
A woman managed to make her way out of the two-storey terraced property. She was transferred by ambulance to Cork University Hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening in nature.
A postmortem examination will be carried out on the deceased at Cork University Hospital. A forensic examination of the scene will also be carried out.
RM Block
Mr Lyall was the master brewer at the Franciscan Well Brewery in Cork for over twenty years.
Mary Crilly, chief executive of the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork, who lives near the brewery, remembered Mr Lyall’s kindness.
“He would be there in a blink (of an eye) to do something for you,” she said. “Anything [the Sexual Violence Centre] wanted, Peter was behind us. He was very special. I am gutted about him because we were fond of him.”
Shane Long, founder of The Franciscan Well bar and brewery, said that Peter Lyall was an extremely kind man.
“If you had to have a photograph in the dictionary to define the word ‘gentleman’, it would be a photo of Peter.
“He was a quiet man, he kept his own counsel, but he helped so many people over the years, and the only person that ever heard about it was the person he helped. He was just that type of person.”
Meanwhile, a neighbour in Hollyhill described Mr Lyall as being “a lovely chap, a big friendly guy” who will be much missed in the area.
An inquest will be held in due course. Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalised.
