Locals are at their "wits end" over persistent vandalism of a historic Clondalkin graveyard that has seen headstones have been knocked over, graffiti on walls and disgusting littering on the grounds.
Mount St Joseph Cemetery has been subject to “criminal damage” according to local councillor Francis Timmons.
He told Dublin Live: “Those gas canisters were found, I don’t know what age group did this for certain.
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"We’re at our wits end with it because we’re having an event on June 19. It's fast approaching and there’s more damage done. They’ve broken the headstones.
"Since 2014 there’s been damage done on a regular basis and at this stage the council don’t intervene.
“Headstones are being used as missiles in the cemetery. Brackets and locks broken, parts of gravestones in the crypts with gas canisters, litter, graffiti, broken furniture etc.
“My previous calls to protect and secure Mount St Joseph Cemetery fell on deaf ears, I once again I'm asking that SDCC take immediate action before there is nothing left to protect.”
Clondalkin Tidy Towns obtained permission from site owners, Kelland Homes, to restore the graveyard back in 2013.
Volunteers refurbished and maintained the site as it was at risk from neglect and vandalism.
Cllr Timmons continued: "The graveyard has deteriorated more since I called for a meeting with SDCC. Bit by bit SDCC is allowing our heritage to disappear.
"Back in 2017 I was looking to get a wall raised around it. The graveyard is preserved but there’s been damage done to it.
"They’re crypts, what they did years ago was they dug up bodies and sold them for medical purposes.
"The bodies were there and locked up, there’s nobody buried there now. That’s what the tunnels were used for.
"It’s quite historic and important, Daniel O’Connell was a patron there. He was the chief patron of the monastery. There’s historic reasons for keeping it, it’s a part of our working tours in Clondalkin."
Cllr Timmons is working with Clondalkin Tidy Towns and the Joe Williams archive group to hold an event at the Graveyard on June 19 at 12:00pm to mark the bicentenary of the first burial.
He said: "The event will mark 200 years since the first burial in the graveyard. It’s disappointing to see, we’re fighting a battle.
"Unless walls go around it and the graveyard is secured, we can’t have a guard there all the time. We want to protect what’s there but it’s very accessible.
"We need to intervene now otherwise there’ll be more damage done."
South Dublin County Council and Clondalkin Tidy Towns have been contacted by Dublin Live for further comment.
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