Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Bundoran. Photo: Andreas F. Borchert Indecent graffiti and offensive writing have been sprayed onto the stonework of a church complex in Bundoran by a group of unidentified youths. The community has expressed outrage at the incident, and an investigation is ongoing.
Church representatives believe the damage was caused by a group of youths who gather on the church grounds in the evenings.
The graffiti not only damages a church of significant architectural and historical interest, but its content is also considered inappropriate and deeply offensive in a sacred place.
The incident has caused outrage among local residents and raised wider concerns about respect for sacred places, heritage and the community.
Local artist Miriam Doran expressed her disapproval. “For me, such things have no place on a church or any sacred place. It’s disrespectful! The drawing of graffiti looks awful,” she said.
Church representatives said the incidents had occurred repeatedly over the summer months, rather than being a one-off occurrence.
The vandalism was not limited to graffiti. Church representatives said that the toilets on the church grounds had also been repeatedly misused and left in such a condition that they could not be used. The toilets were subsequently closed and are now open only during Mass.
Speaking to the Donegal Democrat newspaper, Fr Jeremiah Munyoki CC, former curate of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, said that video recordings of the incidents had been handed over to Gardaí and that the investigation was ongoing.
Parish representatives have also appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the incidents to report the information to the relevant authorities.
“The parish is in a period of transition. The new PP has many issues and challenges to become aware of. Obviously, it is very distressing that this happens on church grounds and it costs significant amounts to deal with the damage. Certain measures have already been taken, but this is also an issue for the whole community to respond to,” parish secretary Donna Cheshire told The Irish Catholic.