Laois residents ‘terrorised and threatened’ by teenagers wearing balaclavas
Sergeant JJ Kirby, Sergeant Orla Nolan, Kate and Donal O'Gorman, John Cowhig, Sergeant Graham Kavanagh, Inspector Joe Culliton, Michael Kennedy and Garda Aran Grehan pictured after the meeting Photo: Stan Henderson
OVER 70 Kilminchy residents and a strong representation of five members of An Garda Síochána including Inspector Joe Culliton and Laois/Offaly Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Graham Kavanagh met in the Killeshin Hotel on Monday 6 October to discuss on-going antisocial activities in the county’s largest housing estate.
The meeting was requested by proprietor of O’Gorman’s Bar and Restaurant Donal O’Gorman on behalf of the Kilminchy’s business owners and residents just two days before the engagement took place which underlined the urgency of the collaboration between the community and the Gardaí.
The gathering heard from resident and MC for the meeting John Cowhig that had there been a week’s notice that there would have been 100s of people in attendance.
The meeting began with Inspector Joe Culliton thanking everyone for attending. He then introduced his colleagues which along with himself and Sergeant Kavanagh included Courts Presenter Sergeant JJ Kirby, Community Policing Sergeant Orla Nolan and Community Policing Garda Aran Grehan.
The Inspector thanked Donal O’Gorman for facilitating the venue before opening the meeting up to those who wished to ask questions or make comments.
Resident John Hayes was first to address the meeting. He said: I’ve been a resident in Kilminchy for 17 years. Over the last six months I’ve never seen the level of antisocial behaviour as bad as we have seen in the last half-year.
“I had to make a report, I had the gardaí out, I have seen what they are doing to neighbours with fireworks. It’s appalling that people who work hard then go home at night to have this carry-on going on in nearly every part of the estate.” When asked by Inspector Culliton to describe the antisocial behaviour in more detail, John continued. He said: “I’ve stepped outside and seen various teenagers throwing fireworks at houses and doors. I had an experience where I had a knock at the door at quarter-to-ten at night. I went outside where 12 to 15 teenagers were lined up in the middle of the road directly outside my house.
“Three of them had balaclavas on and the rest had collars up and hoods down and tried to intimidate me. I don’t think that should happen in any functioning society. I’m sure if it has happened to me it's happened to other people in the estate.” Donal O’Gorman spoke next. He said: I’m representing most of the shops in Kilminchy. We have this antisocial behaviour going on for years but in the last six months it has been horrendous. I’ve had kids breaking into the beer garden, spit at me, swear at me, damaging stuff outside my premises and other premises. Even when we get the Gardaí, and we appreciate you coming up, they tell you to F**k off too. It's just crazy that our estate has gone to that stage. It’s a big estate I understand, and it needs management, and it also needs the help of the gardaí.
