Repeated Acts of Vandalism Forces Church to Limit Opening Hours
Three incidents within two weeks hit the Church of Ireland Christchurch in Buncrana, County Donegal. As well as the burning of Mass leaflets, a Bible was written on, cigarettes were stubbed out on the carpet, eggs were thrown, and flowers were strewn on the floor. The church, which was open throughout the day, was used as a place of prayer by many people. However, the decision was made to close the church outside service times until security was reviewed.
"The one thing I am sure of is that this is not a sectarian thing," said Reverend Judy McGaffin. "There is no structural damage but all of these incidents put together are very, very annoying."
“We made a decision to close the church this week in light of these events and it will remain closed for the foreseeable future. Security is very much part and parcel of everyday life and we will be reviewing our security including CCTV at the church before opening it again,” she said.
Sources: BBC and Irish Times