A French woman was unlawfully killed by her husband who then shot himself in their retirement cottage in Co Tipperary, an inquest into their deaths has concluded.
The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing in the case of Ms Chantal Bergeron (41) and a verdict of suicide in the case of her husband, a former French navy sailor, Mr Louis Bergeron (53).
The Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told the inquest, which was held earlier this month in Clonmel, how she examined the couple's bodies on August 24th.
They had been discovered earlier that day by gardai who broke into their cottage at Carrigmore, Clogheen, Co Tipperary, after neighbours raised the alarm.
Mrs Bergeron had a shotgun wound in the chest and was found lying in a downstairs bedroom. Her wound was consistent with being shot at close range, possibly as she sat on the bed. Mr Bergeron was found in the hallway close to his wife's body. He died from a shotgun discharge to the head, with the injuries being consistent with a self-inflicted wound.
Dr Cassidy concluded they had died within a short time of each other, probably at night, the inquest heard.
Sgt Tom O'Brien said the couple were discovered after the alarm was raised by a friend who had been trying to contact them for a few days and was concerned about their safety.
Gardai found a legally held double-barrelled shotgun lying between the two bodies.
An investigation established that the couple had gone for a meal with friends in Cahir on August 19th. They had a number of drinks and were in a jovial mood before they left for home.
However, when Mr Bergeron telephoned his daughter in France at 1.30 a.m., he sounded depressed and said he was fed up, said Sgt O'Brien. She was the last person to speak to her parents as far as gardai could establish, while a member of the dinner party in Cahir was the last to see them alive, he added.
The couple first began taking holidays in Ireland seven years ago and moved permanently in August 1997 to pursue their hobbies, which included fishing and shooting.