One day in the course of March 2021 Cllr. Charlie Farrelly (Ind) responded to calls from local parents and guardians and declared that he was to ask Kerry County Council to have a ‘communications board’ attached to the perimeter fencing at the Castleisland Children’s Playground.
Cllr. Farrelly did this by means of a motion at a convenient meeting of the Castleisland and Corca Dhuibhne Municipal Council and this read as follows: “I am requesting that Kerry Co. Council carry out a deep clean of the entire playground and equipment in the Castleisland playground and that an upgrade of the playground equipment be carried and to include an ASD communication board which will benefit children with learning difficulties such as ASD.”
Furniture of Inclusivity
It took time as these things tend to but the board became part of the playground furniture of inclusivity just before Christmas.
However, wanton vandalism reared its ugly head with Christmas Day edging ever closer as a small group of local boys struck.
They were seen and identified as they kicked and pulled at the tough and unbreakable, in normal circumstances, board until they actually broke it.
Spoken to Witnesses
An angry Cllr. Farrelly said that he has spoken to witnesses to the act and has the names of the perpetrators.
“I have been contacted by business people here in town and they told me that this small group of youngsters has been terrorising and tormenting them. They were plying their acts of disruption in one new shop in town recently and the owner asked them to leave and they broke one of the shop windows in response.
Community Goodness
“I’m calling on the parents of these boys to take responsibility before things get out of hand completely,” he said.
Cllr. Farrelly also revealed the depths of goodness in the community in that he has been approached by locals willing to contribute to a replacement board for the popular and well used facility.
He also said that Garvey’s SuperValu Manager, Séamus O’Connor has stepped up and offered his firm’s support in having the board replaced.
However, Kerry County Council, which has provided similar boards in 39 playgrounds around the county, has come to the rescue and will replace the vandalised panel here.
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