Padraig Nally at the Four Courts in Dublin, where he was found not guilty of the manslaughter of John Ward of Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Headford Road, Galway in October 2004.

Book of condolences for farmer Padraig Nally taken down after Traveller group blast 'hatred against our community"

by · Irish Mirror

An online book of condolences for Padraig Nally was removed because of a tirade of anti-Traveller abuse.

Farmer Nally, who was 81 when he died last Friday at University Hospital Galway, shot dead a Traveller on his land 20 years ago.

Father-of-11 John “Frog” Ward, 43, was killed by Nally in 2004 amid allegations of trespass on his 65-acre farm near Lough Corrib on the Mayo-Galway border.

READ MORE: Tearful scenes as farmer Padraig Nally laid to rest

READ MORE: Farmer Padraig Nally - who faced trial over shooting of John 'Frog' Ward - passes away aged 81

Nally got a six-year prison sentence for manslaughter but that was quashed in 2006 and he was found not guilty of manslaughter in a retrial two months later. Hundreds of mourners attended his funeral on Monday past in Cross, Co Mayo.

Some of the comments on the condolences section of the rip.ie website were criticised by Traveller groups for “violence and hatred against our community”.

John 'Frog' Ward, who was shot dead by Padraig Nally
The funeral cortege of Padraig Nally passed through the village of Cross in Mayo before burial(Image: CONOR MCKEOWN(c))

The website allows people to post tributes to the deceased and to express sympathies for the bereaved – but the function has been disabled.

Mr Nally’s death notice remains published online but the comment section is no longer available. A spokesperson for Rip.ie said: “We reserve the right to remove condolence notices which do not fit with its standards and policies.”

Traveller activist Latisha McCrudden warned on social media platform X that the anti-Traveller comments encouraged “violence and hatred against our community”.

She added: “Once again, Ireland showcases its hatred, abuse, discrimination and non-acceptance towards the Traveller community.”

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