CALLOUS burglars have caused upset and anger after breaking into an Athy school, causing thousands of euro worth of damage and desecrating a special area.
Scoil Mhichil Naofa was targeted by burglars on 20 July between 1.40am and 2.40am. A plasma-screen television was taken and a special student area ransacked. “It was a violation really. It’s the second serious burglary in two weeks,” school Principal Mary English told the Kildare Nationalist.
“The caretaker contacted me in the small hours of the morning,” said Mrs English. “I was really upset because of the nature of it this time. That corner of the school was very significant.”
“It was devoted to the history of the Mercy Sisters in education in Athy. It held lots of little historical artefacts with which the children were fascinated. It had a plasma screen TV on which we had a continuous programme playing of the children telling the history of the school. There was a whole little focus of a nice aura around that space.”
The burglars wrecked that aura by smashing the glass and breaking in a door to get into the little area.
“We were able to salvage things, but they just caused an awful mess. It was such a special corner where we always brought the children for some quiet time,” said Mrs English. Thankfully they managed to salvage the DVD. “If it was gone it would have been the end of world,” said Mary.
“We operate a very open policywhen we’re open we’re open, it’s a ‘fáilte’ to anyone who wants to come in. I’m afraid of that now maybe people are scoping it out. The last break-in, they took all our tools.”
The television cost €1,200 and the parents’ council had helped raise €2,000 for the area. “It is special and reinforced to last a lifetime – it never once crossed our mind that someone would break it down to get in. We never keep money in the school. It definitely was targeted,” said Mrs English.
“The glass in the area was thick glass but they still managed to break it. The door was damaged and the unit damaged.” It contained priceless vintage items such as rosary beads, nuns’ habits and old photographs.
The school authorities fear the impact this might have on their insurance premium, said Mrs English. “Insurance costs €18,000 a year. We really can’t afford this to go up,” she said, adding that extra security lighting has been put in place and security guards now patrol the school grounds at the weekend.
“We’re appealing to people to help us out, to people in the community to let gardaí know if they know anything,” concluded an upset Mrs English. “We’re just hoping to go forward and to keep our spirits up.”
The break-in also meant that participants on the school’s July programme for children on the autistic spectrum couldn’t access equipment on the day which was upsetting for some of them. The renovation of the area will not be able to be completed until after the insurance company meets with the school board in the coming weeks.