A jury returned a narrative verdict - a factual record of how and in what circumstances the death occurred - at an inquest in Castlebar, Co Mayo, yesterday into the death of a 42-year-old Traveller, John Ward, at a farm in south Mayo nearly 2½ years ago.
The verdict of the jury was that Mr Ward, a father of 11 who lived with his family at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Galway, died at Funshinagh Cross, Co Mayo, on October 14th, 2004, "as a result of shotgun wounds to the trunk and blunt force trauma to the head".
It took only six minutes for the six-person jury to decide, after the coroner, John O'Dwyer, suggested a narrative verdict would be the most appropriate. None of the normal range of verdicts - such as misadventure, accidental death or an open verdict - were applicable, the coroner stated.
He added that a verdict of unlawful killing would also not be appropriate as Pádraig Nally, a farmer who lives at Funshinagh Cross, had been acquitted by a jury last December of the manslaughter of Mr Ward.
John Ward's widow, Marie, did not attend the hearing but his son, Tom, who accompanied his father on his last fateful journey to Funshinagh, gave evidence as a witness. Mr Ward, who is serving a prison sentence, was brought to the inquest in handcuffs.
Following the hearing, which lasted about two-and-a-half hours, Donegal-based solicitor Páid Dorrian, who was representing the Ward family, told reporters that Mrs Ward intended taking a civil action against Pádraig Nally for the loss of her husband.
Eleven witnesses, including State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, gave evidence to the inquest.
Tom Ward told the inquest that he and his father, John, bought and sold scrap for a living and on October 14th, 2004, they went on a spin from Galway city to Funshinagh Cross. They stopped at a white Nissan, which they thought might be for sale. His father got out of the car and went to a house. Then a man [Pádraig Nally] came out, wanting to know who had gone in. He [ Nally] seemed annoyed and said "he won't be coming out again".
The next thing he saw was the man coming from a shed carrying a shotgun. Then he heard a bang and his father moaning. He got frightened and drove on, before stopping and waiting to see if his father would come out. He then drove off as he was afraid.
Pádraig Nally said on October 14th, about 2pm, he heard a car revving up outside the house. He thought it was Travellers. They had called to him in the past. They raided him in February and had taken a new chainsaw.
He said there was a young fellow in the driver's seat when he approached. The youth kept asking about selling a car. He said he got his loaded gun from the shed when he saw the other man going in the back door. He got the loaded gun and fired a shot at him coming out and hit him on the right hand and hip.
There was a struggle and Mr Ward tried to hit him in the testicles. Witness beat him with a stick that he had for mixing the dog's food.
Mr Nally said he grabbed the gun again and went out the back where he got a shotgun cartridge. He shot him [ Ward] in the back from about 10 yards. He fell on the side of the road. He then pulled Mr Ward from the side of the road where he fell and threw him across the wall.
At the end of the hearing, the coroner, Mr O'Dwyer, expressed sympathy to the Ward family. As well as expressing sympathy to the Wards, the foreman of the inquest jury, Aidan Hope, also expressed his sympathy to Pádraig Nally.