Disbelief and disgust at moore church breakin

A South Roscommon church was targeted in a weekend burglary to the “disbelief and disgust” of the local community.

Clonfad Church in the parish of Moore was broken into between Saturday evening and Sunday morning last, sometime over the period from 7pm to 9am.

A side door was forced to gain entry to the rural Roscommon place of worship, located close to the Offaly border a short distance from Shannonbridge, and within miles of Ballinasloe in Galway.

The office and sacristy were ransacked but it appears nothing else was taken during the incident which has shocked the tight-knit country community amid growing fears around the country about escalating levels of rural crime.

It’s understood the burglary scene was discovered on Sunday morning by parishioners as they arrived for 10am Mass. A decision was later taken not to proceed with Mass and parishioners travelled to nearby Moore for services  at 11.30am instead.

Gardai were immediately called and the scene was preserved until the arrival of scenes of crime officers.

A window was broken and there was some damage to a church door as a result of the incident, according to locals.

“There is disbelief and disgust at what happened. People are just disgusted at it. Members of Moore Text Alert would be really interested in hearing from anyone that can help or noticed anything and of course, Gardai in Clonark,” Padraic Egan, Chairperson of Moore Community Council said on Monday.

Meanwhile, on the same night of the church burglary, a parked car in the church carpark was broken into and a stereo damaged in the vehicle. The passenger window was smashed to gain entry to the car between the hours of 9.30pm Saturday night, and 1.30am Sunday morning.

Gardai conducted a full technical examination of both crime scenes in Clonfad on Sunday. Anyone who noticed any suspicious cars or activity in the general Clonfad/Moore area on Saturday night, or in the early hours of Sunday morning last, is urged to contact Roscommon Garda Station in strict confidence at 090 6638300 or Clonark Garda Station 090 64 81106.