Vandals hit sports clubs in Athy – News – Laois Nationalist

TWO sports clubs in Athy that have served the town for a combined 217 years have been attacked by vandals who caused up to €12,000 worth of damage. The attacks happened on the weekend of Saturday 28 March. In Athy Town FC’s clubhouse, CCTV cameras, a router, a cashless vending machine and door locks were smashed, a physio table was slashed with a Stanley blade, and wheelie bins were set on fire causing up to €10,000 in damage. “The physio bed is scary. Why are they carrying knives, and would they do this to a person?” asked club chairman Sean Bolger, not unreasonably. In their neighbouring Athy GFC, a selection of recently installed outdoor furniture for the walking trail was destroyed, and all their signage was spray painted, estimated at €2,000 worth of damage. “It’s a couple of gurriers acting the ‘you-know-what’, but it’s a pain in the backside,” said cathaoirleach cllr Brian Dooley. “Unfortunately, the club is open 24/7 for people to use the walkway as a safe place for older people, or people pushing buggies,” he said. “It’s a shame when you see the place vandalised like this, but it’s not a behaviour we’re willing to put up
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