11/10/2010

Blaze Destroys Songwriter's Former Home

A blaze has gutted a house that was previously owned by one of the country's best-known songwriters.

The secluded former farm house is in Broomhall, Rathnew, Co Wicklow, and was owned until recent years by Jimmy MacCarthy, the composer behind famous and much-loved Irish songs like 'Ride On' sung by Christy Moore, and 'No Frontiers', performed by Mary Black.

A locally-based news service run by Stephen Dunne and Michael Kelly, wicklownews.net, said the emergency services were called to the house around midnight on Sunday.

They said that three fire units from Wicklow Town and local Gardai attending the scene of the blaze.

It is understood that the fire, which may have been started deliberately, was burning for some time when emergency services arrived.

In recent weeks, the fire service have been repeatedly called to the property over minor fires in out-houses which were started by youngsters.

A number of outhouses - where MacCarthy had established recording studios visited by the likes of boy band Westlife - have already been destroyed by vandals.

However, now, the main house of the building has been gutted. It is not clear who owns the property currently. Nobody has been living there for some time.

(BMcC/KMcA)

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