Garda appeal after vandal damages Rose of Tralee monument

Gardaíhave described the main suspect as a male, aged in his late teens or early 20s

The glass monument is located in Tralee Town Park. File picture: Domnick Walsh

A vandal has caused extensive damage to a glass monument in Tralee Town Park which lists the names of women who have taken part in the Rose of Tralee Festival since its inception 66 years ago.

Gardaí say the damage was deliberate and have described the main suspect as a male, aged in his late teens or early 20s.

Gardaí say he was at the Rose Garden in Tralee and was captured on CCTV throwing stones until the glass shattered.

The incident occurred at around 5.40pm on Tuesday.

The suspect was with a group of young people in the town park.

Public appeal

Sergeant Lynda Brosnan said gardaí are viewing CCTV footage and are appealing for anyone with further footage to come forward.

“Obviously the intention was to damage the glass panel. It wasn’t by mistake. When the glass shattered all four left,” the garda said.

In particular, gardaí are looking for the young male, aged between 18 and 21.

An estimated €9,000 of damage was done to a panel in the monument, which is part of a series of glass panels surrounding the principal festival monument in the Rose Garden.

Deputy mayor of Tralee Angie Baily has strongly condemned the damage which she said struck at the heart of the town and its culture.

The monument is “a cornerstone” of the town’s identity and this was an attack perpetrated by “a thug”, she said.

“They are not just names but the stories of generations of women who have left our shores,” she said.

“Call him what he is, I am going to call him a thug, trying to shatter this glass without any thought of the meaning behind this,” she said on Radio Kerry.

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There has been outrage locally at the vandalism of the monument which is set in the Rose Garden of the 35-acre Tralee Town Park.

The series of glass panels, where names are inscribed each year, surrounds the bronze life-sized statues of Mary O'Connor, the original Rose of Tralee.

The panels contain the name of every Rose who participated in the festival since 1959 as well as the history and story of the Rose of Tralee.