A fire destroyed the thatched roof of a 200-year-old listed cottage in Derrygiff, Fermanagh, on a Sunday evening in May 1993. The property, located five miles from Enniskillen, belonged to Arthur and Eleanor Mitchell, who had lived there for 23 years.

The blaze began in a flue pipe and smouldered slowly for hours before flames spread rapidly through the structure. The Mitchells' daughters, Jella and Rosemonde Lamb, returned home to find the cottage on fire.

Firefighters arrived promptly and contained the damage to the roof. Neighbours and friends assisted in salvaging furniture from the building.

The following morning, Arthur and Eleanor cleared ash and smouldering thatch from the site. Eleanor Mitchell noted the fire brigade's effective response and thanked police and community members for their support.

The family faced uncertainty over repairs due to a lapse in insurance coverage during a policy renewal. The cottage featured white-washed walls, a rockery built by daughter Annabel, and a pond created by Arthur.

Arthur and Eleanor Mitchell supported Derrygiff Activities for the Blind and the Fermanagh Talking Newspaper. Community members, including Catherine Harron from Skea, Arney, and Helen Butler, launched an appeal to fund restoration.