Tag Archives: vandalism

The Clare District Soccer League (CDSL) has been left frustrated by repeated acts of vandalism at Frank Healy Park. The Doora based facility has been repeatedly targeted by vandals for a year. Since last summer, fencing has been destroyed, doors broken and the mail box repeatedly damaged. The acts of vandalism started when a door into a storage area of the dressing rooms was broken in to roughly a year ago. This has led to a progression of incidents which has left those involved in Clare soccer deeply frustrated. On Monday, the CDSL published a statement about the repeated intrusions at the County Grounds when the home dressing room door was severely damaged. The statement by the CDSL notes: “Finally this morning the home dressing room door was discovered to have been broken in. This is simply mindless vandalism as nothing of any significant value is kept in these buildings. They are dressing rooms and a small kitchen, noting more. …

DAMAGE totalling €7,500 was caused to a public convenience just a stone’s throw from Killaloe Bridge, according to a recent estimate completed by a district engineer. Killaloe Gardaí have investigated criminal damage to the public toilets at the Pontoon in Ballina. Over the past year, Killaloe Gardaí have confirmed there have been repeated acts of vandalism on these toilets, which are located along a very popular walking route a short distance from the Ballina Outdoor Heating Swimming Pool. Between 10pm and 12 midnight on Monday night, October 31, windows were broken in the toilets and paving slabs were pulled off the ground outside the toilets. This last act of vandalism was condemned as “appalling” by Waterways Ireland Operations Controller, Éanna Rowe. In response to Clare Champion queries, Marcus O’Connor, Director of Roads, Transportation in Nenagh Municipal District, said the council was extremely disappointed with the ongoing acts of vandalism of these public toilets. He confirmed all the windows to the …

VANDALISM in the local playground has prompted a staff of Clare County Council to contact Crusheen Gardaí. The matter was raised by the incoming Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District when members held their July meeting. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan said he had been asked by locals in Crusheen to raise the issue. He tabled a motion calling for lighting or other works to stamp out the problem.   “There have been a few incidents of anti-social behaviour recently within the playground,” he said. “I think that a few lights leading into the playground would be ideal.” The Kilmurry man thanked Community Playground Coordinator, John Treacy for a reply to his motion. He said the problem of anti-social behaviour wasn’t widespread, but that there were concerns in Crusheen. “There are a lot of lovely playgrounds, on some occasions, anti social behaviour happens,” he said. “We don’t have too much of it, but the problem is rising in Crusheen area and I hope …

THERE is disappointment and upset in Sixmilebridge again this week, after another incidence of vandalism at the local playground.  It took place last weekend and County Councillor PJ Ryan described the damage. “There’s a little windy house inside the playground and the panels were kicked in on that. “The metal panels on the safety fencing, a certain amount of that has been removed. The equipment there has been damaged as well, the rope on swings was cut.” He said that there have been numerous instances of damage being done there and it is a source of huge frustration to the voluntary committee who take charge of the playground. “They are tired from looking for funding to have it repaired and it’s just terrible that this is happening. “There is CCTV there, but these are probably all minors and very little can be done about it. The Guards have visited there numerous times but obviously they can’t be at the playground …

RECENTLY planted trees at a Clare burial grounds have been vandalised. The trees were destroyed at Ballycannon burial grounds in Meelick with their tops cut off and leaving behind only short pieces of trunk. Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks is urging anybody who witnessed this destruction to contact their local garda station. She explained, “Last summer, at the request of concerned members of the local community, the burial grounds unit engaged a tree surgeon to carry out an appraisal of high and mature elm trees on the approach avenue to Ballycannon Burial ground in Meelick. “It was recommended to fell the elm trees as they posed a hazard to adjoining houses. This area was replanted using immature low growing Irish ash over a dozen of which were replanted by Clare County Council. “Last Thursday the Burial Grounds Unit of Clare County Council found that all these trees had been destroyed by cutting the tops off them leaving approximately …

MYSTERY surrounds the disappearance of the Fairy Doors that had been attached to trees on the River Walk, on the forest stretch between Illaunmanagh and Cluain Airne, reports Owen Ryan. The disappearance of the doors has disappointed those involved in making the doors, as well as the local children who enjoyed the installations. “We put them up there two years ago, the Men’s Shed made them, they were painted at the creches and the Tidy Towns put them up, said Derek Clune, of Shannon Men’s Shed and Tidy Towns. “We had to put them up fairly high, because if we put them too low we felt they could be vandalised. We had a ladder and I’d say they were eight feet off the ground and they were screwed in,” he added. He has no doubt that it is not a simple case of vandalism, because removing the Fairy Doors isn’t that simple. “It seems to me that whoever took them …

FRUSTRATION has been expressed over vandalism at an ancient site in Tulla, linked to a seventh century saint. Last weekend, locals discovered graffiti covering a celtic cross and ancient carved stone at St Mochulla’s Well, located close to the Hill of Tulla. It is the second incident in recent years and while it is not believed, locally, to be linked to the spate of disturbances and thefts at the nearby graveyard, the situation has caused significant annoyance. At the end of 2019, a huge local clean-up effort was mounted to prepare for planned celebrations of the founding of Tulla. “It’s disheartening that this is the second incident in two years,” said Tim Humphries, Chair of Tulla Tidy Towns. “After the last incident in 2019, we had gotten lots of support for a big clean-up in the area, ahead of the planned celebrations last year for Tulla 1400. This time around, it’s a bit worse because whoever did this has used …

A TREE of Hope planted in Shannon Town Park in October was vandalised last weekend. The tree was planted by the local Darkness Into Light group and its chairperson Brenda Leahy was very upset by the vandalism. “Devastated, absolutely devastated. I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to say it had been damaged and there were kids seen around the park. It’s terrible.” Each year Shannon, like many other towns and villages, hosts a Darkness Into Light Walk in aid of Pieta House, but with that being cancelled, the Tree of Hope was planted instead. “Some people were concerned that it might be damaged but we said we’d go ahead with it, and hopefully it wouldn’t be. It was just to give a symbol of hope, it was some place for people to go and remember their loved ones or to reflect.” Having lost her husband to suicide, Brenda said the tree had a special personal meaning to …