Council dragging their feet says Joanna Byrne
For the past five years two local volunteers, Eugene Brannigan and John Bannon, have being carrying out sterling work to bring the once neglected Old Abbey in Drogheda’s historic West End back to a presentable condition as befits one of the town’s heritage gems.
But in recent months the Abbey has been targeted by pathetic yobs who have no respect for anything least of all themselves – anti-social behaviour is the polite term for what they get up to. As a result of their activities the historic building has suffered structural damage.
This situation was brought to the attention of Sinn Fein Councillor Joanna Byrne by Eugene and John, both volunteers who have spent the last five years power washing and cleaning the Abbey on a daily basis, and she is demanding action.
“These two gentleman are unsung heroes” said Cllr Byrne “and I have the utmost admiration for their daily commitment to the Old Abbey in maintaining and developing the area to a standard that can be enjoyed by all our townspeople.
“Unfortunately a lot of their hard work has been undone in recent times with youths congregating and using this heritage area as a second skate-park and worse.
“Damage has been done to the original Abbey walls and paving in recent times, each weekend sees all the plants torn up and barriers and anti-parking bollards are physically removed and used to vandalise the surrounding area.”
“I have major concerns about the ongoing anti-social behaviour in the Old Abbey, not only is the material damage to plants etc undoing the work and unwavering dedication put into this area by John and Eugene but I am concerned about the long term impact behaviour like this will have on the Abbey itself.
“We have seen our town walls irreparably damaged in the past and this area is not a place that anti-social behaviour should be tolerated. It is a valued part of our heritage and all efforts should be made to protect it.
“Thankfully An Garda Siochána share my concerns and Superintendent Andrew Watters has been very proactive in increasing Gardaí patrols and has given me a firm commitment that any criminal behaviour that continues in the Old Abbey will be clamped down on.
“Louth County Council on the other hand has been dragging their feet in my opinion. I have been requesting signage to no avail for over a year, highlighting that alcohol cannot be consumed in this area.
“I have also requested signage to deter skateboard activity equally to no avail. Drains have been blocked here for nearly 18 months with no action either. The Council has been accused of neglecting our town’s heritage gems in the past and this is another prime example.
They now need to follow in the steps of the Gardaí and play their part in protecting the Old Abbey before it escalates to the point of no repair.”
