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Cllr Mary Howard/Facebook

World War I memorial in Clare vandalised by 'spineless coward'

The memorial which came about after a number of years of fundraising is worth about €70,000.

A GARDA INVESTIGATION is underway after a memorial commemorating those who died in World War I was vandalised in Ennis, Co Clare.

Former Mayor of Ennis, Mary Howard said she was “so angry” to find the memorial, which commemorates local people who died in the conflict, had been vandalised by a “spineless coward using a hammer or some such blunt implement”.

“This sort of behaviour is unacceptable as the memorial means so much to so many and has become an integral part of the built heritage of this town,” Howard wrote on Facebook.

The memorial which came about after a number of years of fundraising is worth about €70,000 according to Howard and was erected on 11 November 2016 to mark Armistice Day. 

11 November marks the signing of the treaty that ended World War I and is commemorated every year.

Every year, a moment of silence is held on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month to remember those that died in the war that ended in 1918.

The Fine Gael councillor said that a number services had taken place at the memorial since its completion and up until now “not as much as a wreath has been touched”.

memorial 3 Cllr Mary Howard / Facebook Cllr Mary Howard / Facebook / Facebook

memorial 2

Howard told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1

“To think that somebody went there and that their motive was to destroy it is heartbreaking.

“Over 700 people from Clare died in World War I conflict, so, so many people are connected to it and visit it all the time.

“We were a number of years trying to fundraise and get it off the ground, it’s just over two years completed and we had it ready for our Armistice Day celebration in 2016.”

memorial 4 Cllr Mary Howard / Facebook Cllr Mary Howard / Facebook / Facebook

Howard said that while the memorial will be replaced the committee is currently waiting to find out if the damage will be covered by insurance or if they will have to fundraise again.

The Ennis councillor told TheJournal.ie that the replacement glass panel is expected to cost an estimated five or six thousand euro. 

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    Mute Saul Cusack
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    May 25th 2017, 4:25 PM

    Very sad. I’ve often visited this Camphill community centre and it was a beautiful place for residents to live with land, animals, gardens and buildings. Lots of young Europeans volunteering years of their lives to provide an alternative option for living to people who would otherwise spend their lives in dull institutions having their senses dulled by chemical restraint.

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    Mute Just Me
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    May 25th 2017, 4:31 PM

    Don’t think transferring it to the HSE will make it any better, with their record on mental health facilities .

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    Mute Mary Walshe
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    May 25th 2017, 6:15 PM

    I too have visited Camphill Ballytobin, and was really impressed by the interaction between staff and residents. What better way to live for people with disabilities, than being to assist in food production and crafting, and being at one with nature, while being allowed to progress at their own pace. Far better than being locked up in an institution. Let’s hope this isn’t another bureaucratic exercise by Hiqua! The HSE’s past record in looking after those with disabilities, leaves a lot to be desired.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    May 25th 2017, 4:55 PM

    The Camphill model was such a nice one. This is very sad to read indeed.

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    Mute PVD
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    May 25th 2017, 4:57 PM

    Hopefully these services can be brought up to an appropriate standard and continue to operate . We need to protect the most vulnerable as are many of the people attending these services .
    Staff and managers running these services have a responsibility too plus resources from Government and HSE let’s hope it’s a move for better in relation to the lives of the people using the service.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 25th 2017, 6:28 PM

    I just cannot trust this government or the welfare of the disadvantaged it’s responsible for.
    Budgets come before welfare. They seem to be able to find reasons to, in this case, stop a well run, people orientated, facility for the disabled, and hand it over to the HSE, an organisation that’s nothing else but a gravy train for the execs and managers.
    Only time will tell.

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    Mute Lynn2380
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    May 26th 2017, 9:11 AM

    Does anyone know why volunteers are no longer allowed because HSE are taking over? I can’t understand why HIQA keep handing over these centres to the HSE when there is a clear record of HSE running such places into the ground, feel so distressed reading this.

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