Deceased English couple in Tipperary

They told the post office they were going to France

What makes you think I'm searching to blame anyone? I even said I wasn't blaming the postman. Here's exactly where I'm not blaming the postman, or anyone else for that matter.

I was originally replying to a post saying that there was glue in the locks and they couldn't get out. I was saying if they couldn't get out, they could have broken a window and signalled. The fact that they didn't break a window to signal for help leads me to believe they didn't want to get out. Or at least the one remaining person alive didn't want to get out.

"Covid scare propaganda"?

It's some bizarre tale, I have a lot of questions...

Nothing rational about being afraid the health system is going to kill you so deciding to beat them to it.

The couple had lived in various places prior to coming to Ireland. When you are constantly moving there is a tendency to stay in the 'ex-pat' (not particularly English) community where friendships are quickly made, in the knowledge that it is an ever shifting community and you or they will move on. None of you have any family close by and people are relaxed about getting to know other people. Some life long friendships are made but inevitably you all end up in different countries so they are at best distant friendships.

Presumably by the time they got back to England they found themselves at a loss as old friends and family were scattered, dead or lost touch, so they did what they had done all their lives and moved to another country. But of course there was no readymade community to move into, quite the opposite, rural Ireland, like rural communities everywhere, is made up of extended families and old, established relationships. People will greet you in the street and ask after you but they are fully occupied with their own lives, there is little room for an elderly couple.

Meanwhile they were in poor health generally; from what I have seen and experienced the Irish health service is little different to the NHS these days. You are not going to find easy appointments with a friendly family doctor these days in the UK, the Irish service is somewhat better in that regard. However they only need to have had the misfortune to have one of the less interested GPs or met with an indifferent consultant - and we all know there are some doozies around - to get a very poor impression of care. The stress of looking after a terminally ill husband when she was likely not in great health herself, and an already lonely, depressed and possibly despairing outlook was just too much.

I find this whole story really sad and a depressing reflection on humanity. How can two people die in their own home and nobody notice for over a year? People look after their own family and maybe some very close friends, but thats as far as it extends. This phenomenon of people dying at home and not being discovered for years is becoming more and more common. I remember seeing a documentary about a woman in the uk who had been dead over 3 years before someone noticed. And the Irish healthcare system does treat the elderly like children, I've seen this happen, nurses talking to pensioners with disdain and a complete lack of respect. I know the other side of that is some patients can be absolute dickheads, but repaying evil with evil is not the answer. How can two people get to the point where they would rather die in their home than live? This world really is a wicked and evil place.

The NHS isn’t all it’s cracked up to these days.

They told people they were moving to France so why would local people be concerned when they didn't see them around any more?

The world isn't responsible for the deaths of these two people. One or both of them are responsible for their own deaths. That may sound very harsh, but that's the reality.

Also everyone seems to be ignoring the conspiracy-spouting elephant in the room

Any why do you think they did that?

What sort of welcome do you think they received from the locals when they moved in?