The family of a man from England who died after being found unconscious outside a house in Co Mayo in 2017 have accused the local council of being "disingenuous" over the removal of a roadside memorial to him.
Joe Deacy, 21, was found with head injuries in a driveway of a house in Gortnasillagh in the early hours of 12 August 2017. He was taken to Beamount Hospital where he died the next day.
Mr Deacy was from St Albans in England but had been in Ireland visiting relatives and friends. On the night before he was found he had gone to a bar in Kiltimagh before returning to the house where he was staying.
Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline, his father Adrian Deacy said the memorial was erected on 4 January this year and was removed by Mayo County Council on 17 January.
He said he was given no notice that the memorial, which consisted of a small wooden square with a base and a cross, was being removed.
Mayo County Council has said that the memorial was a visual distraction and "did not receive prior approval from the council before being erected."
Mayo County Council have removed this memorial to Joe Deacy, who was murdered in the county two years ago. Joe's dad Adrian is telling @joeliveline why he wants the memorial put back on the side of the road #liveline pic.twitter.com/wYl3np0sVh
— Liveline (@rteliveline) March 6, 2019
Mr Deacy said that in correspondence with the local authority they said the memorial was removed due to complaints that were received over a six-month period.
"In reality they were only there two weeks," he said.
He said the second reason given by the council was that there was a minor motor crash in the area last August.
Mr Deacy said this was months before the memorial was erected, and may instead relate to a floral display that was left at the roadside after the anniversary of Joe's death.
He added that a 14ft (4m) display with 'Justice for Joe' written on it was "stolen four or five days" after it was left at the roadside.
Mr Deacy also said he wrote to the head of Mayo County Council two weeks ago outlining the family's complaints but has not yet received a reply.
