A public meeting is being called for Scartaglin Heritage Centre on this Tuesday night, April 9th at 9:30pm after the trauma of Saturday’s serious incident at the local GAA pitch.
The meeting will set out to inform and warn parents and guardians of children in their care of the need for vigilance regarding the whereabouts of their children at all times.
An Emergency Meeting
An emergency meeting of Scartaglen GAA Club was called tonight in the wake of that incident on the club grounds on Saturday afternoon.
Gardaí are investigating the incident in which an 11 year old boy escaped from a man intent on catching him.
Taking its responsibility to its juvenile players seriously, the club called the meeting specifically to discuss the incident involving the local boy and a hooded or masked man who approached and chased him on Saturday mid afternoon.
All Parents Informed
The club is setting out to inform all parents of young children in the area of the incident and they have been advised to put all the information at their disposal ‘out there’ for the benefit of parents and the safety of the children in the area – according to a club spokesperson.
The boy, who lives close to the club grounds became concerned for his safety as soon as he saw a black car pulling into the car park.
Naturally Wary
He was on his own at the time and kicking a ball around on the training pitch. A man, dressed in black with a hood and with his face partially covered, got out of the car and walked deliberately in the boy’s direction.
Naturally wary, the boy moved in the direction of an exit known to him but the man closed in on him. The boy later told his parents and investigating Gardai that he could see only the man’s eyes.
Through Briars and Rushes
Knowing his area, the boy jumped down into a boggy field and ran for safety through briars and rushes and made it in home all the while being chased by the man in black.
The boy peeped out through the front window only to see his chaser at the front gate and he seemingly giving his accomplice in the car a thumbs down signal.
Second Recent Incident
This is the second frightening and notable incident in the same area over the last couple of weeks.
On the Friday of the St. Patrick’s weekend, a woman walking with two children, no more than a couple of miles away from Saturday’s incident, also had a worrying experience with two masked youths in a car.
They pulled up alongside her near the cross at Dromulton on the road between Scartaglin and Castleisland before they sped off again.
Scartaglen GAA Club issued the statement about tonight’s public meeting in the village which has been brought on by the extraordinary and frightening events of recent weeks in the area.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call their local garda station or ring the Garda Confidential Telephone Number 1800 666 111.
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