A protest rally planned by friends and neighbours of Mayo farmer Padraig Nally, who was jailed this week for six years for the manslaughter of Traveller John Ward, has been called off.
Organisers had claimed the rally, which was scheduled for Sunday in Athlone, would not be "anti-Traveller," but it is understood that a number of concerns over public safety had resulted in the postponement of the rally.
A spokesman for the group said: "There was a perception that the planned rally had developed into an anti-Traveller issue, which was never the intention of the group."
The south Mayo bachelor farmer (61) shot John "Frog" Ward twice and beat him with a stick when he found him trespassing in his farmyard in October last year.
He reloaded his shotgun to fire the second shot, which hit Ward in the back as the tried to run away. Mr Ward's wife, Marie, said their 11 children were now without a father and that Mr Nally should have received a life sentence.
A statement issued by the group - which includes James Waldron, vice-chairman of Mayo GAA board - said the rally was also deferred to allow the farmer's application for appeal to be processed, as well as for public safety reasons.
The group said it was hoping to meet Justice Minister Michael McDowell to put forward their concerns in relation to citizens' rights to protect themselves and their property.
The Mayo Travellers Support Group had already called for the protest to be called off.
Despite the involvement of senior GAA and Irish Farmers Association (IFA) figures in the controversy surrounding the case, neither the IFA national headquarters nor GAA head office had endorsed the rally, with both organisations admitting that a number of individuals affiliated to them locally were involved on a personal basis.
Mr Michael Biggins, chairman of the Mayo branch of the IFA, told The Irish Times: "We never meant it [the rally] to be anti-Traveller, and we certainly don't want to inflame the situation."