A Limerick city councillor has pledged to stand up to "thugs" who vandalised another Limerick rugby ground and daubed obscene graffiti targeted at him on the wall of the club house.
Kevin Kiely was outraged yesterday after vandals dug 200 holes at Fitzgerald Park, on the north side of Limerick city.
The home of Thomond Rugby Club for the past 25 years, the park is the second Limerick rugby venue to be targeted by vandals in recent weeks.
Last month the historic rugby ground Thomond Park, home of Munster rugby, was closed for five weeks after up to 500 sods of turf were dug up on the main playing pitch.
Some 13,000 fans will converge there this weekend for the crucial Heineken Cup clash against French side Castres - Munster's first game in Limerick since the Thomond Park incident. The damage to Fitzgerald Park was discovered at 9.30am yesterday. It has led to more public outrage, and a Garda investigation has been launched.
Cllr Kiely - who is well known locally for his outspoken views on how the authorities should tackle anti-social behaviour - called those responsible "cowardly thugs".
Graffiti directed at the Fine Gael councillor was daubed in large white letters on the walls of the club house at Fitzgerald Park.
"F**k Kevin Kiely, Thomondgate Rat, Go to the papers now" was painted in large white letters on the blue shutters of the club house.
"I'm shocked and disgusted that somebody would do this to a place that serves the whole community. This is an attack on the whole parish which was carried out by thugs and cowards who operate in the black of night," he said. "It won't stop me though, and I will continue to speak out against anti-social behaviour. I was elected by the people of the northside and I will continue to serve and represent them," he added.
Earlier this week Cllr Kiely called on the gardaí and Limerick City Council to adopt a heavy-handed approach towards the families of teenagers engaged in anti-social behaviour in the Thomondgate area of Limerick city. The councillor said the parents of youths who commit public order offences had no place in the estates of Thomondgate.
Meanwhile, PRO for Thomond Rugby Club Barry Dillon said the club was "hopeful" that Fitzgerald Park would be repaired in time for Sunday's All-Ireland League clash between Thomond and Young Munster, which is expected to draw up to 1,000 people.