Vandals target Union Jack

THE spirit of the Special Olympics has been severely dampened in Dungarvan where vandals dumped a Union Jack and a steel flag pole into the harbour.

The incident has caused outrage and has left town council officials and members of the local host town committee red-faced and acutely embarrassed.

Dungarvan is the host town for the Bahamas delegation, and the national flag of that country, together with the Tricolour and the other flags of the EU were erected along the Causeway in Abbeyside.

However, in the hours of darkness, the British flag was targeted and the pole and flag ended up in the harbour.

They were both subsequently retrieved, but town council officials have decided against restoring the Union Jack fearing that it would suffer a repeat fate.

Instead, the pole was put back in place and the blue and white flag of Waterford is now flying from it.

Dungarvan town clerk Brian White said that clearly some people took exception to the flying of the Union Jack, but it was erected because Britain is a full member of the EU.

He confirmed that the incident has been officially reported to the gardaí and is under investigation.

“We have had an official complaint and it is being thoroughly investigated,” a garda spokesman said. “To date, however, we have not had any definite leads that we can follow up.”

Meanwhile, the PRO of the Dungarvan Host Town committee, Tom Keith, has expressed acute disappointment. “It serves absolutely no purpose, and is a totally senseless act,” said Mr Keith.

“Neither can Dungarvan benefit from the publicity it is certain to generate,” he added.