‘Now you have peace’ - Padraig Nally laid to rest in Cross

PADRAIG Nally, the farmer who was jailed for killing a man who trespassed on his property, has been laid to rest.

Mr Nally, who resided at his 65-acre farm in Funshona, Cross, in south Mayo, hit the headlines in October 2004 when she shot John ‘Frog’ Ward. The bachelor handed himself into the police following the shooting. He spent eleven months in prison for manslaughter before being acquitted in 2006.

Hundreds attended his funeral at the Church of The Sacred Heart, in Cross, which heard that the shooting left ‘an indelible mark’ on his life.

Padraig’s sister, Maureen, thanked all those who had cared for and supported him and those who minded his farm when he was not able to do so.

“Padraig you are now free from the frustration of not being able to work. Free from the pain and suffering and free from the anxiety and worry that was so much part of the last quarter of your life,” she told the congregation in a poignant tribute.

“Now you have peace and happiness. And all that is left is for me to say goodbye. You will be remembered. I will not forget you,” she continued.

“The good times and the tough times we had together. You will be forever in my thoughts and prayers. I will remember you. I had some tough times saying goodbye to you over the past six weeks but this is the hardest. This is the saddest. Bye-bye, Padraig.”

Well loved

Fr Declan Carroll, Parish Priest of Cross, described Mr Nally as ‘a quiet, unassuming man with the virtues of humility and kindness’.

“He loved his farm. He cared deeply for all his livestock and found satisfaction, you could say, in the work if his hands. He had a natural bond with the land beneath his feet and the cattle under his care,” said Fr Carroll.

“It was a bond that spoke of dedication and that spoke of the love for the life he had been given. And Padraig’s love for the simple things in life extended beyond his farm.

^{The late Padraig Nally pictured in Dublin during his trial back in 2005}

“He cherished the warmth of friendship, the lively conversations he shared with many in the marts around Galway and Mayo. These gatherings were more than just selling or buying cattle, they were opportunities for connection, opportunities for laughter, an opportunity for camaraderie with his fellow farmers.

“His sociable nature made him well-loved among his neighbours in Funshinagh and he had many friends.

Fear

Addressing the shooting of Mr Ward, Fr Carroll said that for Mr Nally, ‘tragedy altered the course of his journey, leaving an indelible mark’.

“It was a time of fear and that fear led to consequences that changed everything. Though life was never the same again, Padraig’s faith endured. He prayed fervently not only for himself but for all those affected by the events of that day. Prayers were an expression for his humility and desire for peace, both for himself and for others.”

Fr Carroll also paid tribute to ‘the unwavering love’ of Mr Nally’s sister, Maureen.

“Maureen’s care and steadfast support were constant reminders of the power of family,” he said, “and the healing power of unconditional love felt by Padraig along every step of his journey.”

Concluding his remarks, Fr Carroll said: “His life may have been marked by hardship but it was also filled with love, perseverance and quiet grace.”

Targeted

On October 14, 2004, 42-year-old John ‘Frog’ Ward arrived at Mr Nally’s property with his son, Tom. Mr Nally recognised him, as Mr Ward had called to his house two weeks previously, looking for directions.

Fearing an attack, Mr Nally shot Mr Ward in the hip from a few yards away. The two then engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle, before Mr Nally struck him a number of times with a stick.

As Mr Ward tried to escape, Mr Nally reloaded the gun and shot him again, killing the father of eleven, who had 80 previous convictions.

Mr Nally was 62 years old at the time, living alone with no phone in the house. He had been targeted by thieves in the past and had a chainsaw stolen from him eight months before the killing. He was so fearful of being attacked that he spent long hours alone in his shed with his shotgun.

He later handed himself in to the Gardaí, telling them “I was out of my mind for these lads calling to my house all year.”

“I said to myself he wasn’t going again,” Mr Nally added. “I’ve so long been raided, this was going to be the last time.”

Right to defend

In July 2005, a jury found Mr Nally not guilty of the murder of Mr Ward, but guilty of his manslaughter. He received a six-year jail sentence that November.

During his eleven months in prison, Mr Nally received an estimated 10,000 letters and attracted widespread public support for his actions.

On October 12, 2006, almost exactly two years after the killing, Mr Nally had his sentence quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal. That December, he was found not guilty of manslaughter after a retrial.

Mr Justice Paul Carney, who tried the first trial, described it as ‘undoubtedly the most socially divisive case I’ve had to try and the most difficult case I’ve had to sentence’.

The incident sparked a national debate over the right to defend one’s property and eventually led to changes in the laws concerning self-defence.

Years, later Mr Nally said he still feared for his safety long after killing John Ward.

He had been ill for some time before passing in the care of St John’s Ward in University Hospital Galway at the age of 81.

‘Gentle nature’

IN a statement, Mr Nally’s solicitor, Sean Foy, described him as a ‘great human being’.

“I called to see him some weeks ago and he was being cared for by his sister Maura, who was gallantly by his side all throughout his turmoil,” said Mr Foy.

“Padraig had a profound effect on me as to his gentle nature, his kindness and understanding. This honesty stood to his character, pedigree; he was a great human being.”

Mr Foy also paid tribute to his legal team before quoting Brendan Graham SC’s closing statement to the jury in his trial: “Padraig Nally did not seek trouble, trouble came to him.”

He offered his sympathy to Mr Nally’s sister before concluding: “I have no doubt that Padraig will have no trouble where he is gone. May God rest his beautiful kind soul.”

Padraig Nally was predeceased by his parents, Pat and Mary, and is survived by his sister Maureen, relatives, neighbours and friends.

He has been laid to rest in Cross East cemetery.

May he rest in peace.