Ireland Man arrested over damage to headstones at Portlaoise cemetery
Multiple graves at St Peter and Paul's Cemetery in Portlaoise, Co Laois, were damaged overnight in the early hours of Friday 2 February 2024, in what is suspected to be a random act of vandalism. No individual victim is named; the cemetery is owned by Laois County Council. Gardaí arrested a man on 5 March 2024 over the criminal damage, a arrest revealed by Garda Superintendent Eamon Curley at a special meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District on 6 March 2024. The man's age and nationality are not given, he has not been charged or prosecuted, and the motive remains unclear.
- Reported5 Mar
- Arrested6 Mar
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Multiple gravestones at Portlaoise Cemetery were damaged, with black headstones among those affected.
- Where
- The damage was done at St Peter and Paul's Cemetery in Portlaoise, Co Laois, an 11-acre cemetery.
- When
- The damage was suspected to have happened in the early hours of Friday, 2 February 2024.
- Cause
- Gardaí understood the damage was likely a random act of vandalism.
- Investigation
- Gardaí said no clear line of enquiry had been established in the update of 21 February 2024.
- A man was arrested in connection with the damage on 5 March 2024, and progress had been made in the investigation.
- The motive was still unclear, and the investigation was ongoing.
- Charges
- No charge or prosecution had been reported as of the latest article.
- In court
- The arrest was revealed by Garda Superintendent Eamon Curley at a special meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District on 6 March 2024.
- Other details
- Gardaí put together security recommendations for the cemetery, including CCTV, lighting, landscaping changes and boundary improvements.
- The cemetery is owned by Laois County Council and run with a voluntary committee, with two Fás workers and the rest volunteers.
- A meeting with families, neighbours and the cemetery committee was planned for the week of 4 March 2024.
27 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMultiple gravestones at the cemetery were damaged. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatMultiple graves were smashed overnight on 2 February 2024. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatGravestones at Portlaoise Cemetery were damaged (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe damage was done at St Peter and Paul's Cemetery in Portlaoise. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe cemetery is 11 acres. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe damage occurred at Portlaoise Cemetery (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe damage is suspected to have happened in the early hours of Friday, 2 February 2024. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe damage occurred on 2 February 2024 (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe arrest was made on 5 March 2024 (leinsterexpress.ie)
- causeGardaí are understood to be working on the basis that the damage was likely a random act of vandalism. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí say the investigation is ongoing and no clear line of enquiry has been established. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí put together a list of security recommendations at St Peter & Paul's cemetery in Portlaoise. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationA person was arrested in connection with the damage (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationA motive was still unclear and no prosecution had yet taken place (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationProgress had been made in the investigation (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe arrest was revealed at a special meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherAll the desecrated graves had black headstones. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherAll the damaged graves are along a 'rat run' through the cemetery on the Stradbally Road. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherGardaí will meet public representatives and cemetery volunteers in Portlaoise this week. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe cemetery is owned by Laois County Council and run with a voluntary committee. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe recommendations include CCTV cameras, lighting, landscaping changes and boundary improvement. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe incident is suspected to be a random act of vandalism. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe Gardaí report is described as a confidential document with an investigation ongoing. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherA meeting with families, neighbours and the cemetery committee is planned for the week of 4 March 2024. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherIn the past two years there have been other incidents at the cemetery including pots stolen from graves, cars driving over graves, and a family being hijacked. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherA small grave plot costs €1,000. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe cemetery is staffed by two Fás workers and the rest volunteers. (leinsterexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 6 Mar2024Man arrested over damage to headstones at Laois cemetery
Reports the arrest at a council meeting, confirms the incident date and location, and notes that a motive was still unclear and no prosecution had yet taken place.
suspect, male - 5 Mar2024Gardaí make security recommendations following desecration of Portlaoise graves
Reports on Gardaí security recommendations (CCTV, lighting, landscaping, boundary) for the cemetery, the planned meeting with affected families and neighbours in the week of 4 March 2024, and mentions other incidents at the cemetery in the past two years including stolen pots, cars driving over graves, and a family being hijacked.
- 21 Feb2024Laois Gardaí share update on Portlaoise cemetery descration
Update on the investigation: no clear line of enquiry yet, likely random vandalism, and a planned meeting between Gardaí and local representatives. The article does not mention the arrest recorded in the existing case.