A famous green, metal, display plough that was stolen from a rural village in Co. Offaly has been recovered by Gardai.
The cherished neighbourhood plough – that was welded to the ground at Moore’s Cross in Walsh Island for more than a decade – was taken last October, to the disgust of the community and the local Tidy Towns group to whom it belonged.
After a prolonged investigation by the Gardai, the plough – which previously featured on television with a horse pulling it through a field – was recovered by the authorities last December.
However, Liam Carty, chairman of the Walsh Island Development Group, told AgriLand that it was very badly damaged.
“It was recovered by Gardai in December. It was recovered with a few other items that have been stolen in the locality.
Unfortunately, the plough was all broken up and was being buried when the Gardai found it.
“We received a donation of a new plough and are waiting for the weather to improve to install it,” he said.
It is understood that the individual who had it in his possession, admitted to taking the plough, and was ordered to make a donation to the Walsh Island Development Group.
Pride of the village
Speaking on RTE Radio 1, after the incident last October, Madeline Flint of the Walsh Island Development Group appealed for information about the community’s treasured heirloom.
The plough would have been seen on TV years and years ago, with a horse pulling it through the field. It was restored and painted and put at the entrance of the village, where it has been for 10 or 15 years.
“We had it concreted into the ground with a metal bar going through it and we really looked after it. We were very proud of it; but, unfortunately it has been taken.
“We realised it was missing when a guy was down cutting the grass; he knew something wasn’t right; something was missing. Then he just noticed ‘the feckin’ plough is gone; God Almighty tonight’,” she said.