More than €11,000 raised in just over 12 hours
There has been an outpouring of support after arson destroyed the storage room and nearly all of the equipment and gear used by 270 children who are members of Drogheda Boys and Girls FC.
The club’s storage container, on Marley’s Lane, had flames coming from it on Saturday morning and €50,000 is needed to replace it.
The club is determined to keep going and it has received a huge response to a Gofundme Page with over €10,000 donated in the first 12 hours.
Past players include Ireland Internationals Gary Kelly and Nicky Colgan as well as Gary Tallon and the Brennan Brothers.
The fire was discovered as coaches arrived for what was the first training session for a group of under 8 players yesterday (Saturday) morning.
Rory Kerr, head of coaching said it was the third time in ten years that the club had been targeted.
Their lawnmower was burnt out in 2011, their boot room lost in 2015 and this time the club has issued a strong statement.
Published on social media, it said, ‘Years of work to build something up, taken away because someone was determined to burn it down for the craic. For entertainment.’
It said the quick thinking coaches ‘who were still able to do their best and give the kids as much as a positive experience as possible while firefighters battled the blaze, today you are our heroes.’
‘To the wider general and local football communities, who have had to listen to us, defend our area and it’s potential, today we are embarrassed. To the Fire Service and Gardaí who spent all day making things safe and investigating, today we were impressed.’
Speaking as coaches, parents and players tried to salvage what was left, Mr Kerr said, “we have two girls teams training today. They can’t stop us, they won’t stop us. While the kids train, we clean.”
The club needs a new container and equipment but Mr Kerr said “We are not doing this for the vandals, we are doing it for the kids, the kids come first.”
He said the donations, “give us the lift we need,” and are people’s way of “showing their support and that their opinion is that we should keep going.”
Gardai said they are, ‘investigating an act of criminal damage that occurred on Marley’s Lane, Drogheda, yesterday morning, Saturday 15th May 2021. No arrests have been made, investigations are ongoing.’
They are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact the Gardai in Drogheda.
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