Vandals target idyllic village of Terryglass

The multi-award winning village of Terryglass has been targeted by vandals who have undone some of the great work being carried out by locals whose dedication has resulted in top prizes for the beauty of their community.

In the incident, the culprits damaged the holy well and fairy trail in the village.

The public toilets and signage has also been targeted, sparking sadness and disappointment in the proud parish.

“So much hard work goes into making our village a special place for everyone, and it's a shame to see it disrespected in this way,” said Terryglass Tidy Towns group in a post on its Facebook page on Saturday last.

The group said it was “disappointed and saddened” to witness the vandalism that had been carried out in the village.

The group posted: “We're really disheartened to find that parts of our community, including the holy well, fairy trail, public toilets and village signage, have been damaged by vandalism.

“This isn't just a physical repair; it's a blow to the community spirit. We're asking for everyone to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity to the local gardaí.”

The vandalism comes just several weeks after a panel of judges in a top European competition visited the village to adjudicate on the scenic hamlet. The Entente Florale Europe competition is the longest-running environmental awards scheme in Europe.

Earlier this year both Terryglass and Maynooth in County Kildare were chosen by the Department of Rural & Community Development and the Gaeltacht to represent Ireland in the prestigious competition.

This international awards scheme seeks to promote a greener and more pleasant living environment for city, town and village dwellers - ideals Terryglass is now trying to retain despite the spate of vandalism.

The village has, over the years, being a consistent county and regional winner in the National Tidy Towns Competition. It won the national award outright on two occasions, in 1983 and 1997.