A pensioner whose corpse was carried to a post office to claim his pension did not die in suspicious circumstances, a postmortem has determined.
Gardai suspect Peadar Doyle, 66, was dead for up to three hours before he was brought to the post office in Co Carlow by two men in their 30s.
One of the men knew the deceased well and both have made full statements to gardai who are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A source last night told the Irish Sunday Mirror the two men were insisting Mr Doyle was alive when they brought him in to collect his welfare payment.
Meanwhile, a priest who administered last rites to Mr Doyle last night said: “Hopefully he is at peace now.”
The bizarre incident at Hosey’s newsagents and post office in Carlow made international headlines and sent shockwaves across the country.
Speaking last night, Fr John Dunphy, who is from the neighbouring parish of Graiguecullen/Killeshin, told how he gave Mr Doyle the last rites.
He said he was on duty on Friday when he received a call from gardai saying the man’s remains had been left in Hosey’s shop in “shocking circumstances”.
Fr Dunphy added: “I’m not from the parish of Carlow town, but I was on duty and I got a call from the gardai asking me to come in.
“So, I made my way into the newsagents and the remains of the deceased was there with the staff and gardai around him. He was not alone.
“The shop was closed, and I didn’t know the man, but the staff were upset, naturally. He was anointed, he got the last rites, of course, and we all gathered around him and prayed. It was very dignified.
“The gardai were very kind and the staff were brave, it was a peaceful moment, very, very dignified.
“We all stood together and prayed over him. It was a short gathering, but it was peaceful and I would like to think the man is at peace.
“I don’t know how he died or anything like that, but the gardai are investigating and a postmortem will have to be done. It really is shocking, people in the town are clearly shocked but he did get prayers and he was anointed, and we stayed with him and prayed.”
Events unfolded around 11am on Friday when two men aged in their 30s brought Mr Doyle’s body to the counter of his local post office causing “pandemonium” in the shop.
The men had earlier attempted to collect his state pension but had been told Mr Doyle needed to present himself in person at the counter for the payment. The pair put a woolly jumper over his face and a hat on his head before taking him out of his house and back to the post office around 400 metres away.
Onlookers have claimed his feet were “dragging” along the ground on the short journey.
One of the staff members became concerned for Mr Doyle when he appeared at the counter with the
two men and questioned if he was unwell.
The men claimed he was having a heart attack before dropping the body on the floor of the store and running from the scene.
No money was handed over to the men and staff in the shop raised the alarm with emergency services.
When contacted yesterday, staff at Hosey’s newsagents declined to comment on the events.
Mr Doyle was not married, had no children and worked as a part-time painter in the area. He was described yesterday as a “quiet man, who kept himself to himself”. Gardai were stationed outside his house on nearby Pollerton Road while a forensic examination of the scene got underway.
A source said it is believed Mr Doyle had died in an upstairs bedroom around three hours before his remains were brought to the local post office.
The source added the men have strongly denied he was dead when they brought him to the shop, insisting he was “very much alive”.
Mr Doyle’s funeral details were posted online last night.
A notice on RIP.ie said he died “suddenly” and was predeceased by his parents Patrick and Anne, sister Angeline and brother Lar.
The notice continued: “Sadly missed by his heartbroken sister Noeleen, brothers-in-law Liam Dowling and Christopher Haughney, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces, relatives and friends.” His remains will repose at a local funeral home this evening before removal tomorrow morning to the Church of the Holy Family, Askea, for funeral Mass at 11am.
The incident has since hit the headlines around the world with tributes pouring in on social media for Mr Doyle.
Mayor of Carlow Ken Murnane said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear about the case.
He added: “I cannot believe anyone would do something like that.
“It beggars belief, I’m just shocked.”
In a statement gardai said: “A postmortem of the deceased has been concluded.
“The results of the postmortem are not being released for operational reasons.
“Foul play is not suspected.”
