A CONDOLENCES PAGE for Mayo farmer Padraig Nally, who was jailed for shooting dead Traveller John “Frog” Ward in 2004, has been removed from RIP.ie.

Nally died last week at the age of 81 following a long illness. He served 11 months in jail for the October 2004 killing of  John ‘Frog’ Ward, a member of the Travelling community, who was on his land. 

A jury on appeal accepted that Ward had come to Nally’s home with no good intent and released the farmer. He had originally been sentenced to serve six years in prison. 

Nally’s counsel, Brendan Grehan told the jury his client was “at the end of his tether agitated and fearful, even paranoid about his safety”.

The condolences page was removed after it was inundated with comments, some of which contained anti-Traveller sentiment. The death notice remains on the site.

Martin Collins, the co-director of Traveller advocacy group Pavee Point, labelled the comments left on the page as “vile” and “racist”.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Collins said the group was “very concerned at the racist commentary and the vile messages which have been put on social media which have put Pádraig Nally on a bit of a pedestal, and he is portrayed as a hero, and John Ward is being vilified and demonised”.

Traveller activist Latisha McCrudden said on X that the comments showcases Ireland’s “hatred, abuse, discrimination and non acceptance towards the Traveller community”.

Nally’s case garnered a huge amount of media attention at the time. The farmer received a wave of public support, but many in the Travelling community said they were left feeling marginalised and isolated by the incident.

Also speaking to Morning Ireland, Vincent Cummins of Cummins Funeral Directors in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, said he was contacted by RIP.ie in relation to the posting.

“They contacted me to say that they had received a few complaints from members of the public regarding inappropriate comments on the condolence book,” he said.

“As a result of that then, they removed the link for condolences.”

Cummins said that he had never received a request like that before, and that there were also many positive messages and condolences expressed to Nally and his family, which he would pass on.
RIP.ie was acquired by the Irish Times Group earlier this year. In a statement to the Irish Times, the website said:

“RIP.ie does not comment on individual death notices or condolence books and reserves the right to remove condolence notices which do not fit with its standards and policies.”

With reporting from Tom Shiel