Nally speaks out

Nally speaks out about living in fear

Emer Gallagher

MAYO farmer Padraig Nally, who shot and killed a Traveller on his farm at Funshinagh, near Cross, in 2004, has spoken out about the fear he experiences in his own home.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Farm Week programme from Ballinrobe mart last week, Mr Nally said he worries that he will be attacked again and fears for his life.
Mr Nally was acquitted of the manslaughter of John ‘Frog’ Ward after a retrial in 2006, having spent eleven months in jail following his initial conviction.
“I am still living alone and I am still fearful. You have to be. You don’t know when you’re life is going to be threatened again.
“It’s a lonely life to be living on your own and to have to worry about people coming back again to abuse you or threaten your life again like before when my house was broken into and I had to defend myself.”
Mr Nally said many people in the rural community are experiencing the same worries and fears of being robbed and said there ‘is stealing going on left, right and centre’.
“I hear stories from people every day that people are being robbed when they aren’t at home and what is going to happen if they were at home.”
The 61-year-old bemoaned a shortage of gardaí in his area. Mr Nally also said that he has been told he is entitled to get his gun back since he was acquitted but he had not made any enquiries on the matter.
After spending eleven months in jail, Mr Nally said he enjoyed the freedom to walk his land and do his shopping after he was released and said he enjoyed huge support and messages from all over the world.
“I was put to what I did at the time. When a man attacks you you have to protect yourself,” said Mr Nally.