The incident occurred on Thursday about 5km outside Bandon.
It is understood both men were working near the stone wall when it suddenly gave way and collapsed on top of them. Both were partially buried by the falling debris.
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News in 90 Seconds – 11 December 2025
Efforts were made to assist both men at the scene, but one was critically injured and was pronounced dead a short time later.
The deceased man was in his 50s and from the west Cork area.
The second man, who is aged in his 30s, suffered serious crush injuries and was brought to Cork University Hospital (CUH). He is believed to be in a serious condition.
Gardaí attended the scene yesterday and the incident is being treated as a freak accident. As it is considered a workplace accident, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) will be notified.
It is unclear if the wall collapse was linked to recent storms that swept over Cork, including Storm Bram on Tuesday.
Parts of Cork have been affected by torrential rainfall, heavy flooding and high winds in recent weeks.
A number of roads and structures have been damaged by fallen trees and flooding.
The Office of the State Pathologist was notified about yesterday’s incident and a post-mortem examination is scheduled to be carried out on at CUH over the coming days.
Gardaí will prepare a file for the South Cork Coroner.
An inquest into the tragedy will be held next year.
A total of 33 people died in workplace fatalities in Ireland last year.
The figure was a reduction of almost a quarter on fatalities the previous year.
It represented the fewest work-related deaths since the HSA was established in 1989.
Ireland’s fatality rate per 100,000 workers fell from 2.7 to 1.2 in the 10-year period from 2015 to 2024.
The construction sector, in particular, saw a significant decline from 10 fatalities in 2023 to five last year, a decline of 50pc.
The agriculture sector saw a decline from 20 fatalities in 2023 to 12 last year, a decline of 40pc.
