Athy clubs hit by vandals

TWO sports clubs in Athy that have served the town for a combined 217 years have been attacked by vandals who caused up to €12,000 worth of damage. The attacks happened on the weekend of Saturday 28 March.

In Athy Town FC’s clubhouse, CCTV cameras, a router, a cashless vending machine and door locks were smashed, a physio table was slashed with a Stanley blade, and wheelie bins were set on fire causing up to €10,000 in damage.

“The physio bed is scary. Why are they carrying knives, and would they do this to a person?” asked club chairman Sean Bolger, not unreasonably.

In their neighbouring Athy GFC, a selection of recently installed outdoor furniture for the walking trail was destroyed, and all their signage was spray painted, estimated at €2,000 worth of damage.

“It’s a couple of gurriers acting the ‘you-know-what’, but it’s a pain in the backside,” said cathaoirleach cllr Brian Dooley.

“Unfortunately, the club is open 24/7 for people to use the walkway as a safe place for older people, or people pushing buggies,” he said. “It’s a shame when you see the place vandalised like this, but it’s not a behaviour we’re willing to put up with in the GAA.” 

Sean Bolger, chair of Athy Town FC, had a similar tale to tell.

“It’s getting to be a problem here with the anti-social behaviour,” said Mr Bolger, whose club is currently running its Easter soccer camps, with nearly 600 kids enrolled.

“I had to ask four of them to leave during training on Tuesday night, and this daddy came up to me and told me I can’t say things like that to kids, and he offered to see me out on the road!” he said.

“If they wanted to kick a ball, I’d let them, but the level of cheek and abuse is fairly frightening,” he added.

“After the weekend, they came back on Monday and tried to set fire to wheelie bins. It’s a problem.” 

Sean estimated that the camera system, the vending machine, the locks, doors and physio table would cost in the region of €10,000 to replace.

“We don’t have that sort of money to deal with that sort of stuff,” he sighed. “This week we’re getting a €1,000 grant from the credit union – which would be great if we spent it on balls and jerseys, not this type of shite.” 

Cllr Dooley said he believed “a couple of arrests have been made”, but this has not been confirmed by An Garda Síochána.

He also confirmed that the GAA club is now having to instal CCTV cameras, a cost which is not included in his estimates for the existing damages.

“Between the mending and cleaning, €2,000 is a very conservative estimate, as most of the work is done by volunteers. If we brought in professionals, the costs would be substantially more,” he said.

“It beggars belief that you could get people that stupid, doing those pointless, pointless antics.

“We’re very grateful to the spirit of the community in Athy and to the efforts of An Garda Síochána. And it’s not that there’s a lack of facilities in Athy, there are over 70 different clubs in the town.

“It’s a lack of parental control, and a need for a kick up the arse.”