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Farmer Padraig Nally has told how he was 'shook up' when he was forced to confront a Traveller gang in his yard.

Mr Nally said he was left shaken when he encountered the three men on his property in Cross, Co Mayo.

The 70-year-old, who shot dead intruder John 'Frog' Ward in 2004, insisted he had "no doubt" the men were there to rob him.

He told the Irish Star: "It shook me up. I didn't like seeing them there - it brought up bad memories.

"I was after coming back through the fields and the three of them were there interfering in the yard.

"I'd no doubt if they'd got more time they would have started taking stuff - they were there for no other purpose.

"I told them to get off the property, that they'd no business here. They were humming and hawing about leaving until I told the Gardai.

"They were looking for trouble. I don't know if they did [know who I was] but what happened back then is done with now."

The Mayo farmer was sentenced to five years behind bars in 2005 for the manslaughter of Mr Ward.

But Mr Nally had his conviction scrapped just 11 months later.

He was then acquitted of manslaughter during a retrial.