Diarmuid Byrne, the Cork man killed in his home yesterday, was remembered locally as well-liked individual with a warm disposition.

Mr Byrne, 41, who was an avid hunter, died instantly after a pump-action shotgun went off in his home on Plunkett Road in Ballyphehane, Cork.

Gardaí are continuing to investigate his death, but are treating it as a tragic accident.

Mr Byrne was in an upstairs bedroom of the semi-detached house when he suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

A friend of Mr Byrne’s, who was in the house at the time, called the emergency services, but Mr Byrne was pronounced dead at the scene.

His friend was deeply traumatised by the incident.

Nobody else is being sought in relation to the death.

Locals gathered around as Gardaí cordoned off the road after the incident, which occurred at approximately 4.30pm.

Mr Byrne’s body was removed from the scene just after 7pm and a post-mortem is being carried out today. Mr Byrne was a plumber, and had lived in the house his whole life.

Cllr Thomas O’Driscoll knew him from a young age when he played GAA.

“It’s a very tragic and sad situation. He was well thought of and liked in the area, as was his whole family. He always had a warm disposition. He was a very likeable man,” he said.

Cllr Mick Finn was in touch with neighbours of the man yesterday evening and said they were in shock.

“It’s quite a tight-knit community and people are shocked. I know they will all row in around the family and friends. He was well known as a fan of hunting, and it’s terrible that that went wrong. There was another man with him, and it must have been harrowing for him as well,” he said.

This story first appeared in the Evening Echo newspaper.