Published: Wednesday, 1st September, 2010 5:00pm

Dun na Rí destruction 'is very disappointing'

Maurice Heavey, Lorna Shevlin and baby Max were disgusted at the destruction in Dun na Ri park. The couple, who had come from Duleek, described the vandalism as "disappointing".
Pic by==: 97

Vandals have uprooted trees and torn down sign posts in Dun na Rí forest park just outside of Kingscourt.

More than €2,000 worth of damage has been caused to the popular walking spot in what appears to be a mindless act of vandalism.

The damage was discovered and the groundskeeper was alerted last Thursday -it is believed to have happened some time during Thursday afternoon.

A considerable amount of force was used to lift the heavy signposts marking the paths out of the ground, which suggests that it was the work of more than one person. Recently planted sapling were also torn out and several timber fences were damaged.

Speaking with The Anglo-Celt the groundskeeper, who didn't want to be named, said: "It's completely pointless vandalism.

Whoever did this obviously got a kick out of it but I'm not going to get a kick out of repairing their damage."

This is the first act of serious vandalism in the park in several years. "From what I understand it may have been a group of teenagers," the groundsman added.

John Finnegan walks regularly in the park and was disgusted by what he saw. "It's a terrible shame. I walk here two to three times a week and in the summer months it's very popular, it's probably even more popular now with so many people unemployed. It's disappointing when things like this happen."

Maurice Heavey and Lorna Shevlin were equally appalled at what they saw. "We came here from Duleek and this is our first time here. We have nothing like this place near us and it's a great spot for bringing your family and having fun." Maurice and Lorna were out with baby Max and witnessed some of the destruction that took place.

"It's a shame that type of element is able to get in here because it is such a lovely park."

The chairman of Kingscourt Community Council and former county councillor Clifford Kelly has strongly condemned the vandalism perpetrated at Dun a Rí and hoped that those who carried it out will be apprehended and brought to justice.

Mr. Kelly said he fought hard to get a €400,000 allocation to have improvement works carried out at the park, an important tourism and recreational resource for the Kingscourt area.

The park was attracting more visitors than ever and the damage caused to signs and shrubs was a blow to those who were working hard to promote what was one of the country's finest forest parks, he said.

He had been working with Minister Smith to get further funding for Dun a Rí park and those who were intent on carrying out acts of vandalism wouldn't defeat the efforts of all those who had the good of the area at heart.

Dun na Rí received a makeover in 2009 as part of National Tree Week, when Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith participated in a tree planting ceremony. New wheelchair friendly paths were created as well as an extension to the existing car park.

There are four walks of 1.5-2km long in the 565-acre park along the River Cabra and it is a popular spot among locals and walking enthusiasts from further afield. Highlights of the park include the Ice House, Toba na Splinne Holy Well and Cromwell's Bridge. The Glen of the Cabra River stretches the length of the park - it is said that Cuchulain camped there.

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