Gardaí investigating the attack on the local ‘Community Garden Project’ on Thursday night have been given the names of those alleged to have been involved.
The attack left the poly tunnel – central to the activity of the project – badly gartered and slashed at least three dozen times along the mart-yard facing side.
It was rumoured locally, at first, that up to ten local teenagers had been involved in the act of sheer stupidity and wanton vandalism. However, now their peers have been bandying the names of just three of the pack as those responsible and Gardaí have been informed. Members of the force have also been checking out footage from the many CCTV posts positioned in and around the area from the night in question.
Only because of the availability of high quality PVC adhesive tape could the tunnel be saved and project manager, Willie Reidy and gardener, John O’Sullivan have done Trojan work in its rehabilitation in the wake of the attack.
In the spring of 2013 funds were raised to get the project off the ground – so to speak – and it worked in that the tunnel was bought and erected and is now in full use. Beds have been raised and edibles set and are growing and being looked after.
The long term plan is to establish a community based gardening project to promote the growing of vegetables and fruit through organic methods. This will run alongside an educational policy on native and heritage plants, shrubs and trees, biodiversity and composting.
“Various training courses are being planned. Some will be of single–day duration. There will also be a basic gardening course which will run throughout the year. This will provide a knowledge of what can be done week-to-week. Participants on this course will be charged a fee of €50 but they’ll get access to ground during the course to participate and practice what they have learned,” said project manager, Willie Reidy.
This is the kind of community enhancing activity which the brave boys attacked on Thursday night. It is interesting that their names have been spoken of and given up so freely in recent days. It’s almost like they’ve overstepped a mark in that particular sub-culture – one of the many which make up this wonderful little valley of ours.
That the damage was repaired so soon after and that the tunnel is back in action points to a native resolve that speaks for itself.
The local Garda station can be contacted on 066 71 41204 if you have any information on Thursday night’s attack.
