Vandals Deface Historic Carmelite Friary In Castlelyons, Gardaí Appeal For Information

The historic village of Castlelyons in North Cork is dealing with the aftermath of a incident where the centuries old Carmelite Friary, a listed National Monument, fell victim to vandals. The friary, a place of religious devotion for nearly 800 years, was recently defaced with large graffiti tags in black spray paint.

Shocked locals promptly reported the incident to Gardaí, who are now seeking the community's assistance in tracking down the perpetrators. The defacement extends beyond the ruins of the friary to include various sections of the standing walls and graveyard.

In response to the incident, Gardaí in Rathcormac issued a statement on social media, outlining the severity of the situation and the legal consequences perpetrators may face. According to the post, damaging a National Monument is a specific criminal offense carrying hefty penalties, including fines of up to €50,000 or a 12 month prison sentence.

The Carmelite Friary in Castlelyons, founded around 1307, boasts structures dating back to the 15th century. The vandalism has not only physically marred the historic site but has also left a lasting impact on the local community. The incident comes in the wake of another act of vandalism in a Cork graveyard, where vandals not only defaced graves but also took mementos and family items.

Local authorities are urging anyone with information related to the vandalism to come forward. Gardaí in Rathcormac can be reached at 025 82100.

In a statement Gardaí said,

"This vandalism has a deeper and lasting impact on the whole community, and Gardaí in Rathcormac would appreciate any information the public may have,"

 Do you like a good read?

*We make a very small commission for every book purchased when you click though one of these book links above. This all goes to keeping the site and it's services running and free to use.