Members of Fine Gael and the community of Durrus are in shock following the death of a man following the party’s selection convention last Friday night.
Patrick (Paddy) Moynihan of Coomkeen, Durrus, is believed to have set out on foot in freezing temperatures from the Westlodge Hotel in Bantry sometime after the selection convention finished at 10pm.
The convention was held to find a replacement for Cllr Katie Murphy who stepped down last November. Her successor was named on the night as Cllr Caroline Cronin O’Driscoll of Schull.
The following morning, it was established that Paddy Moynihan had not made it home and a search was carried out.
The body of the deceased was discovered in a field, the following afternoon, and a post mortem was carried out on Tuesday.
‘It was a truly tragic end to what had been a very positive evening,’ Senator Tim Lombard told The Southern Star.
‘Paddy was a true Fine Gael stalwart,’ said Senator Lombard. ‘He had two major passions in his life – one was politics, and the other was sport. He will be sadly missed by everyone in the Fine Gael family.'
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