Homeless Josef was ‘killed with kindness’

HE was “killed with kindness”. These were the poignant words spoken at a meeting of Ennis Town Council after the discovery of the body of homeless man Josef Pavelka in a laneway at the weekend shocked the town of Ennis.

 

Calls have also been made for further debate on the issue of homelessness in the wake of the tragedy.
Mr Pavelka made headlines last month when a District Court heard he and his friend, Piotr Baran, were living in a public toilet in the town. The 52-year-old Czech national’s body was discovered on Saturday night and the cause of death is not yet known.

At this week’s meeting of the Ennis local authority, it was said that Mr Pavelka’s “celebrity status” had led to more people giving him money to buy alcohol. Councillor Mary Howard recalled how she first met Mr Pavelka at a Christmas dinner for homeless people four years ago.

She added, “He became quite a celebrity in Ennis but it seems he was killed with kindness as people were giving him more money. He was somebody’s son and he had a dreadful disease.”

Also commenting on the tragic death this week, the District Court Judge who presided over the court case that revealed Mr Pavelka was living in a public toilet, described the life he led in Ireland as something “nobody can be proud of”.

Judge Patrick Durcan was speaking at a sitting of Ennis District Court on Wednesday when Mr Pavelka’s case was up for further review.

Having become aware during the week of Mr Pavelka’s death, Judge Durcan said, “In my view in a modern democracy such as this, to learn of a man living in a public toilet is and will always be a scandal. There is a duty to ensure that a reasonable basic level of care is available to all. I was concerned that denials were issued about the circumstances Mr Pavelka was living in,” he said.

“Despite his difficulties and his inability to deal with these difficulties, this man’s life in this country is something that nobody here can be proud of… It is shamefully sad that he died in the circumstances that he did.”

Solicitor for Mr Pavelka, Daragh Hassett, described his client as a “gentleman in every regard”. He said arising from the comments made in court about his living conditions in recent weeks, Mr Hassett saw first-hand the coming together of agencies committed to helping Mr Pavelka.

He added that he hoped it would lead to a roof over his client’s head to help remove the chaos in his life.
Inspector Tom Kennedy said that the gardaí regularly dealt with Mr Pavelka for public intoxication and he said on all occasions this was out of concern for his own safety.

“He never presented any problem. We made very good progress in tracking down his family in the Czech Republic and his daughter and sister are aware what has happened and arrangements are being made,” he said.

Also speaking about Mr Pavelka, Fr Tom Hogan, administrator of Ennis Cathedral, described him as having “a warm personality”.

“He was always very pleasant and he had a great sense of humour and a hearty laugh. Lots of people were very good to him, the St Vincent de Paul here were very good to him. His friend Piotr is very sad now and it may be the making or the breaking of him and hopefully it will be the making of him,” Fr Hogan said.

Mr Pavelka had made friends with Piotr Baran and the two were never far from one another, as Mr Baran acted as Mr Pavelka’s translator.

“They are from different countries and from different backgrounds and they met here in Ennis. Josef would have been here before him and ended up in a similar situation. There are a little grouping there who are non-Irish who have alcohol problems, they are kindred spirits. Over the years, they were given various opportunities, they got accommodation but it wasn’t possible for Josef to get off the alcohol. He could have gone back to the Czech Republic if he so wished but he didn’t want to,” Fr Hogan said.

He said he will hold a liturgy in the cathedral for his friends in the Ennis community but will await the finalisation of funeral arrangements before holding this service.

Speaking at the Ennis Town Council meeting, which was later adjourned, Mayor of Ennis, Peter Considine described it as a “horrific event”. He went on to say that people have to want to be helped before help can be given to them.

The mayor concluded, “I hope that he will be able to be repatriated and can be buried in his own country.”
Councillor Paul O’Shea urged that the issue of homelessness and the habitual residence condition relating to social welfare entitlements be fully discussed at a meeting.

“He claimed he was sleeping in a toilet and I would like to see this issue discussed and what are the intentions regarding people who don’t meet the habitual residence conditions. This affects many Irish people who have worked in the UK and America and who have come back and find they are not entitled to anything,” he said.