The remains of a young Polish immigrant who drowned on Achill Island at the weekend are being taken home by road to his home town in southern Poland.
Marcin Wilczek (28) was drowned on Sunday after falling over a cliff on Achill Island.
His body is being brought the 2,000 kilometres home by road at the request of his mother. The remains left Achill yesterday on the first stage of the journey.
The dead man's employer, Arthur Knipe, an Achill-based electrician, offered to pay the air transport costs, estimated to be in the region of €6,000.
But he agreed to the family's wishes that the remains be brought home overland.
Mr Knipe, who will travel to the town of Zory, near Krakow, with his wife, Teresa, for the funeral at the weekend, is jointly paying, along with his uncle, Thomas McNamara, for the cost of repatriating the remains.
"We would have borne the cost of bringing the body home by air, but the family sent a local Polish undertaker to Ireland," Mr Knipe said.
He was speaking after prayers were recited for the soul of the deceased at the mortuary of Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar yesterday.
"I understand that the cost of bringing the remains home by road is several thousand euro less," he added.
Local people from Achill who had come to know and like the young Polish man since he arrived on the island last August, gathered at the mortuary yesterday afternoon to say prayers.
They watched silently as the remains were put aboard a refrigerated vehicle for the journey across Europe which will take two days.
Mr Knipe explained: "Marcin was the breadwinner for his mother. He was always talking about her. They were obviously very close".
Well travelled and with excellent English, Mr Wilczek mixed well.
According to one islander, Michael McNulty, the dead man was "as well known in Achill as any Achill man".
The Knipes are taking with them a last photograph of the Mr Wilczek, taken on the cliff where he lost his life not long before he fell to his death. They will give it to the man's family.
A memorial Mass for the dead man will be held at Achill Sound Church at 7.30pm this evening.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution to Marcin's family will be able to do so at the church.