A MAN in his late 60s has died following a fatal fire at a cottage in a rural Irish area.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at the house in Ballytarsney, Co. Kilkenny this morning around 10am.
The male was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí have said the house is located in a rural area and no one else was in the house at the time.
A spokeswoman for An Garda Síochána said the scene has been preserved for a technical examination.