A friend of the late Peadar Doyle has hit out at St Patrick's Day parades which appeared to mock the circumstances surrounding his death.
The events surrounding the death of Doyle, 66, made headlines in Ireland and internationally earlier this year.
On Paddy's Day, floats were seen in Belmullet and Kilfenora parades appearing to mimic the Hosey's Post Office incident.
But a former friend of Peadar's has blasted the floats.
Walter Lacey, former Carlow councillor, said: "I was extremely disappointed that at least two parades made a complete mockery of Peadar Doyle. They imitated the passing and they thought it was very funny.
"It was so hurtful, so offensive and so thoughtless, it has generated a huge outcry in Carlow. It was very traumatic. The family are only coming to terms with his loss and the circumstances, the inclusion of these floats has brought it all back up.
"St Patrick's Day is about celebrating Irishness and Irish life. Yes, there was lots of fun and floats, but to mock the death of a very decent man and the circumstances is just beggars belief. It's just incomprehensible. The person in the middle was depicting a deceased person. I can't find the words to describe it.
Speaking to Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live, Walter noted that he tried to contact the organisers of the two parades
He explained: "The photographs and videos have been removed, but they have shut down comments. All I asked for was an apology for the family.
"The Doyle family are highly respected in Carlow. For this to happen because of the circumstances is unacceptable. They're calling for an apology. Usually I'm reluctant to add fuel to the fire or upset them further. It needs to be said, the people in Mayo and Clare need to do the right thing."
"I knew Peadar, he was a true gentleman, a decent man. He lived in the heart of 'old Carlow' and there's not one person you would find that would've had a wrong word to say about him."
Read: Post office worker 'noticed man was dead' after pensioner's body propped up by two men
