Solid proof of bird poo havoc in Laois village

SOLID proof has been produced of bird poo havoc in a Laois village.

A photo of the once-pristine limestone seat in Errill, now defaced by crow droppings, has been provided by county councillor John King following a story we published on Wednesday.

The Hitchcockian tale began at a council meeting that morning, when the Rathdowney councillor alleged tongue-in-cheek that the crows were possibly flying in from Tipperary.

On a serious note, he said the “destructive droppings” are causing extensive damage in the tree-lined village, not only to the commemorative limestone seat but also to parked cars.

The seat that was proudly installed in 2022, as part of an award-winning project, must be shunned by locals and visitors, as it is completely covered in large bird droppings that are not only an eyesore but also a health hazard.

“It’s a lovely bench, but you wouldn’t sit on it,” Cllr King told a meeting of Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District, as he joked: “I think the crows come in from Ballacolla – or Tipperary!” 

The Fine Gael councillor asked officials to have the Errill village trees cut back when the nesting season is over, to discourage future crow invasions.

He said: “There’s a lady selling ice-cream in the little shop there and there’s a lovely bench outside, but you can’t sit in it. You wouldn't believe how bad it is, it’s destroyed. It’s a common enough problem, but I never saw it as bad as this year.” 

He added that the crows have caused “horrendous damage” to cars, as acid in the droppings can damage paintwork if is not cleaned quickly.

He said: “Some people don’t like trees being cut, but they have to be, for safety and other reasons. You get your hair cut to have it nice and trees have to be cut as well.” 

Speaking after the meeting, cllr King said: “I was out in Errill on Sunday night and the stone seat was absolutely destroyed from crow droppings. If you look up, you can see the trees full of crows. They are much bigger than they were before.

“Residents told me that these birds are very noisy and annoying at night. I’ve also been told that the acid from crow droppings can destroy the paintwork on cars, if it is left too long.” 

The limestone seat and a commemorative plaque were installed as part of a project marking the 175th anniversary of the Great Famine, for which Errill Tidy Towns received the 2022 Laois County Heritage Week Award.

The installations are located near the site of what was once a soup kitchen, to feed desperate locals. The seat is inscribed with this message: ‘Rest here and remember all those from this locality who perished during the Great Hunger 1845-1852.'