Mystery of homeless man who died in London deepens - was he from Donegal or the midlands?

Since the story was published  on DonegalLive.ie regarding the sad death of a homeless man in London, there has been a huge outpouring of sadness and anger that he lived on the street for four decades. But details of his identity remain extremely sketchy.

It had been thought that the man who lived beneath an overpass at the extremely busy Chiswick Roundabout in West London was from Ballybofey. Indeed, a number of people responding to the sad news of his death on Tuesday had posted on various social media sites that they had spoken to him, worked with him or dropped food off to him when in the area. Quite a few people said he told them he was from Donegal.

A number of people suggested that his name was John Dwyer - or possibly O'Dwyer or Dyer.

However, some contributors say he was in fact from Laois, with there also being a suggestion that he came from Carlow. Another person said they believed that his mother was from Ballybofey and his father from Carlow.

DonegalLive.ie has been contacted by a researcher who has looked into records in the Ballybofey area and could not find any mention of Dwyers. He suggested that perhaps the man was from Ballybrophy in Laois rather than Ballybofey. 

The man was a familiar face to many people who spent time in London. It is believed that he was offered accommodation on a number of occassions but he opted to stay in the place where he had made his home on the street. It seems that tragically,  this was because his wife and daughter died in an accident on the Chiswick Roundabout around 40 years ago, though this has not been not confirmed.

DonegalLive.ie has been contacted by a researcher who has looked into records in the Ballybofey area and could not find any mention of Dwyers. He suggested that perhaps the man came from Ballybrophy in Laois rather than Ballybofey.

Whatever the man's background, his death in such circumstances has struck a chord with people here in Ireland and with the Irish community in London. It has also highlighted the plight of the many people who left our shores in search of a better life, only to fall on hard times without the support network of home. 

If details of this story ring a bell, please feel free to let us know.

See also: Outpouring of sadness at death of Donegal homeless man in London - information sought on his background