Ian Bailey had fears he would not live long enough to clear his name

Macroom man Donal O'Callaghan and his wife Peggy met Bailey in O’Connor’s Seafood Restaurant in Bantry where Ian questioned if he would make it to see him get his innocence

One of the last photos taken of Ian Bailey was in a restaurant in Bantry less than two weeks ago where he met Macroom man Donal O’Callaghan.

Ian Bailey expressed fears less than two weeks ago that he would not live long enough to clear his name.

Above is one of the last photos taken of the Englishman, in a restaurant in Bantry less than two weeks ago, with Macroom man Donal O’Callaghan.

After a chance meeting with Mr O’Callaghan and his wife Peggy, Mr Bailey spent an hour-and-a-half chatting with the couple in O’Connor’s Seafood Restaurant in the town.

Peggy told the Irish Examiner that Mr Bailey said that his heart was in poor condition. 

She said: “He questioned if he would make it to see him get his innocence. It was heartbreaking really to see him.”

“When we got up to leave, I could not believe how stiff and sore he was.”

 She described him as frail but said: “He was very happy. He started reciting some poems for us.” 

Three days later, the couple were again in the west Cork town and saw him standing against a wall, looking very unwell.

He was asking for help and he looked awful. Donal got out and helped him to his car. 

He told the couple that he would have to leave his current accommodation in Bantry shortly as his lease was up.

He regularly had a stall at Bantry market but recently was unable to do so.

In recent years, Mr Bailey embraced social media and regularly updated his accounts. 

On Tiktok on January 6, he said that last year was his most successful year “in terms of income from poetry, T-shirts, shout out services, and researches”. 

Last September however, Mr Bailey was treated in hospital after suffering two heart attacks. He posted updates on social media and praised medical staff for their care.

He was treated in Bantry General Hospital and also underwent tests at Cork University Hospital.

His body was taken to the morgue at Bantry General Hospital on Sunday afternoon, after he was pronounced dead after becoming ill and raising the alarm with passers by on Barrack Street.