Outrage over 'sickening' theft from memorial for road traffic victims in Tipperary

A theft from a garden of remembrance for 51 people who lost their lives in road traffic accidents in Tipperary has been described as a 'horrific and sickening' incident. 

Shortly after 9am on Thursday morning, locals discovered that black iron entrance gates at Ballynonty Remembrance Garden had been stolen overnight. 

Councillor Imelda Goldsboro described the theft as a "sickening" act that has horrified the area.

"The committee and wider community are just devastated. This garden means a lot to so many people in the area. It's not that the gates were stolen, it's that people came along and interfered with a place that signifies so much to so many families.  They have no respect for the dead,” said Cllr Goldsboro, who has vowed to help the committee get the gates replaced.

Seven years ago, Ballynonty residents and the wider community came together to set up a garden in memory of all those killed in road traffic accidents within a four mile radius.

Today 51 plaques line the garden’s walls in memory of victims from the villages of Ballynonty, Gortnahoe, Glengoole, Ballysloe and Killenaule who were fatally injured on roads over the past number of decades.

The remembrance garden, built on a piece of unused council-owned land, was designed by Holycross based artist, Philip Quinn, formerly from Killenaule.

It was officially opened in 2012 and was also featured in an RTE series presented by celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin.

Sadie Heffernan, who helped to set up the project, said there was a widespread feeling of "shock" and "anger" that someone would target a memorial garden.

"I still can't believe that someone would do it. The whole village was involved in building that garden. There's 51 names honoured there, the youngest being only two years of age, and to think someone would steal from it is incredibly upsetting," she said.

Teresa McGarry, whose son Johnny was killed in a motorbike accident in 1999, says she hopes those behind the theft will return the stolen items.

"My son was killed on October 31, 1999. He was 28. This garden is a way of remembering all those we have lost. If anyone knows anything, just please come forward, just return what you've taken."

Anyone who may have noticed any suspicious activity in the area between 2pm, Wednesday, May 1 and 9am on Thursday, May 2 is asked to contact Thurles Garda Station on 0504 25100.