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Shandon Shame
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Had a lunch meeting yesterday in the hotel in Shandon, Cork, which once was the North Infirmary Hospital. (The food is vastly improved!).
While I was waiting I took a stroll out the back of the hotel. It’s in the shadow of the landmark Shandon Steeple and church. The line between the hotel and the graveyard of the church is unmarked. I was horrified to discover that the entire graveyard has been vandalised and that it’s just left there.
A view of the Steeple, taken from the graveyard, where visitors climb to ring bells and look out over the city.
Looking directly in the opposite direction towards the Maldron Hotel, showing the desecrated graves.
Isn’t there something really sick about an individual who takes part in the wrecking of a family grave …
… and something sick about a society that leaves it in this state.
Many of the names on the broken and faded gravestones are common Cork names. For example, this one is of the MacSwiney family — the same family as Terence, the Lord Mayor of Cork who died on hunger strike in 1920.
Most of the headstones have been damages by either hammer or graffiti. Some have been prised open.
What a shame.
Per chance, does anyone know who is actually responsible, as in owns this piece of ground?
Thanks for looking.
Very good docu of such a shameful act Tom.
You are right, it must be a disturbed person that acts in this way. Its bad enough that they graffitted the graves but to then wreck with a hammer and even prise open is disgusting.It never ceases to amaze me of the stupidity of some people. It is actually infuriating to see something like this, these people are only one step away from being animals as conscious thought, intelligence and sense of moral are absent.
Well done Tom, these very well taken shots really tell the tragic story – it’s a pity you couldn’t bring to the
Examiner or some other publication!Well done Tom.
I agree with the above comments. Absolutely shocking to see such blatent vandalism.
Hi Tom,
As a person who abhors wanton acts of vandalism I fully
understand why you were horrified.I have never seen anybody perform acts like this
in broad day light or heard a person who had performed
desecration like this try to justify it.I hope whoever has done this is proud of themselves.
John.
Hi Tom. Your shots have just made my blood boil. I think this vandalism should be highlighted in the national and local press and the Gardai called in to investigate and bring these savages to justice and made to repair all the damage either physically,financially or both. This is not the work of a sick individual, a group were involved and somebody knows something about it. Surely the hotel has security at night especially (CCTV, night porter) and guests staying there, plus people delivering etc going to and fro during the day. It wouldn’t be too difficult to find out who they were as the graffitti tells a lot. I hope they catch them and make an example of them(ie name and shame). I’m sure their families would be very proud. Well done to you for highlighting it, but don’t let it go unsaid, please. :evil:
Thanks to all who commented on these photos.
Another Corkman who saw the pics on PI passed on the link to a member of the City Council who has an avid interest in history. He has promised to raise it at the Council meeting in September. However, it has been suggested to me that the Council may now be the official owner of the cemetery!
Regards.Hi Tom, well done on this, I also know one of the Councilors for that ward and will ask him also to support all efforts to have this shame sorted
Thanks, Ken.
A friend is also working to establish who actually owns it now.
Regards.
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