An American widow is to make one last attempt to negotiate a settlement to her husband’s will ahead of an inquest into the tragic deaths that rocked a West Cork community.

Martin McCarthy killed his daughter and then took his own life just a week after he had changed his will and written out his California-born wife Rebecca.

The 50-year-old was buried with his three-year-old daughter Clarissa in Schull, close to his native village of Ballydehob.

The two families walked side-by-side at the funeral in a show of solidarity, but divisions have since emerged over McCarthy’s will.

The Irish Independent reports on a new bid to settle the dispute that arose after McCarthy changed his will a week before killed his daughter and himself.

The farmer, who met his wife when she was a teenage exchange student on a trip from America, deliberately wrote 26-year-old Rebecca out of the will.

She moved back to America in September after taking her claim to the farm to the Irish courts.

Ireland’s Director of Public Prosecutions and police have now concluded their investigation into the deaths and the case is expected to come before the Cork coroner’s court early in the New Year.

The Irish Independent reports that new efforts are being made to settle the dispute over the will after Rebecca launched a High Court action to restore her legal entitlement to her share of the family home and farm last July.

The report says McCarthy is also taking action against her husband’s estate for distress caused by the loss of her daughter.

The matter will proceed to a hearing in 2014 if the latest round of talks fails to resolve the issue.
A family friend has confirmed to the paper that McCarthy will return to Cork for the inquest.

The friend said, “She is coping but it has been a terrible time for her. But Rebecca is determined to return to Ireland for the inquests and offer every possible assistance to the coroner.”