Vandalism of Luke Kelly bust part of wider violence

The Luke Kelly statue on Sheriff Street Dublin. File picture: Collins

The repeated vandalism of the Luke Kelly bust in Dublin’s north inner city is just one example of the destruction of community structures by local drug gangs, a new report has suggested.

Research said that drug-related intimidation had caused “widespread fear” in the community and called for a State response putting the needs of the community “at the centre”.

The landmark statue of the famous local singer, which is located near Sheriff Street, was vandalised for a seventh time last July.

The study said people working in drug and youth projects in the area believed arson attacks on local community education and training facilities and of a local children’s playground, as well as the vandalism of the Luke Kelly statue, were “linked to local drug trade members in the area attempting to interfere with CCTV coverage”.

One youth worker told researchers: “What they’re doing now is they’re paying the younger people to smash a car and blow it [the camera] up.

“That was the reason why Luke Kelly was done, was because the camera is facing down towards [named street] and if they got the camera around on to Luke Kelly…they actually paid someone to go over to destroy Luke Kelly seven times…so the camera would turn towards that area and not down the other area.” 

The report, entitled Debts, Threats, Distress and Hope, said vandalism and destruction of community facilities and structures damaged community spirit and safety and formed just part of the wider harm done by drug-related intimidation.

The report said: “Participants across the focus groups and interviews were undivided in their view that the nature of drug-related crime and intimidation in the north east inner city has increased in violence, contributing to widespread fear in the community and a shift towards a community perception of unsafety.”