Gardai are investigating the death of a man in Derrybeg, Co Donegal.
Mr Michael Kerr (52), from Omagh, Co Tyrone, died after an assault early on New Year's Day. He had been spending the holidays in Derrybeg with his wife, his sister and her husband.
Mr Kerr's brother-in-law, Mr Frank Ward, said they had spent New Year's Eve in a hotel in Derrybeg and were accosted by a man on their way home.
"We never saw this man before in our lives. He started shouting at us and claimed that I had made remarks earlier in the night about his wife. It was totally untrue.
"Michael tried to calm him down. This man then hit Michael. Even though Michael had been hit he didn't strike back. That was the kind of fellow he was.
"We all walked away and left the main road and went on to a dark side-road which led to our bed-and-breakfast.
"This man must have followed us. He suddenly appeared again and hit Michael who fell to the ground. It was a completely unprovoked attack."
Mr Kerr died in hospital on Sunday night.
Mr Ward criticised the Garda for initially saying his brother-inlaw had died as a result of "a drunken brawl".
A Garda spokesman yesterday said he couldn't be certain where this statement had originated but said it might have been issued by the force. However, the Garda's position now was that Mr Kerr had died following an assault, he added.
There have been no arrests in connection with the incident.