'It would sicken you to your stomach': City centre flower planters vandalised

Businesspeople and pedestrians on Cork’s Princes Street on Wednesday morning expressed their anger and disgust at those who had vandalised flower planters there the night before, and voiced their gratitude to the Cork City council workers who had cleaned up the damage.

A spokesperson for the city council told The Echo a number of planters on Emmet Place and Princes Street had been vandalised on Tuesday night.

“It is very disappointing that the actions of a tiny few last night have impacted on people’s enjoyment of some of our streets today,” the spokesperson said.

“Our parks team have tidied the mess, but the flowers are damaged and not capable of being saved.

“We will try and replace the floral displays shortly,” they said.

The council spokesperson said they intended to follow up with a complaint to An Garda Síochána.

Eddie Varian, a butcher with Tom Durcan Meats in the English Market, described the vandalism as “an absolute disgrace”, saying the council had done superb work cleaning up so quickly.

“It would sicken you to your stomach to see such thuggery and stupidity, but 100% praise to the council, well done to them,” Mr Varian said.

In Ecco on Princes Street, Tina and Angela said the council had done a fantastic job.

“You’d feel very sorry for the council workers, they do a marvellous job in keeping the place tidy, they take a real pride in their work and the flowers are beautiful, so it’s shameful to see vandalism like this,” Angela said.

Her colleague, Tina, said it was “horrible” to see the council’s good work destroyed in this way.

“You’d feel very embarrassed, especially with all the tourists going into the English Market and seeing this, but in fairness the council had the whole thing cleaned up by half eight this morning,” she said.

Andrea Romano, of The White Rabbit Deli on Princes Street, said vandalism of the flower planters was an ongoing issue, and said he had called the gardaí recently on a man who was, he claimed, uprooting flowers in broad daylight.

“This is nothing new, there is no respect, especially from people in the night,” Mr Romano said.

“Princes Street is very beautiful, and the council workers make it special with the beautiful flowers, and it is very sad to see the lack of respect.” 

Stephen Burke, visiting from Foxford in Co Mayo with his four-year-old son Seán, said he thought Cork was looking especially beautiful in the sunshine. “They clearly put so much effort into brightening the place up, and what do you get for tumbling it all upside-down? It’s just ridiculous,” Mr Burke said.

On his daddy’s shoulders, looking very stylish in a hat-and-sunglasses combo, Seán said he really liked the flowers, which he said were “really nice”.

Elaine Twohig, from Farmgate Café in the English Market, said the vandalism was disgraceful, and her heart went out to the council workers.

“These people have no regard whatsoever, there’s an awful crowd going around the city lately, and it’s not just students,” she said.

“Fair play to the council workers, the work they put into making the city beautiful is really appreciated by most people, and it’s sickening to have it ripped up in seconds,” Ms Twohig said.

In Cherish Jewellers, Denise Barry said the council was doing a “super job” in maintaining the flower planters, and she felt the damage was being done mainly by late night revellers.

“The flowers are stunning, just beautiful, and it’s a shame that they’re being vandalised,” she said.

One woman, going into the English Market with her young daughter, said she was “sickened” at the vandalism.

“It must be so dispiriting for the poor council workers who work so hard to make the city a nicer place, to see their flowers ripped up like that. It’s just disgusting, mindless behaviour,” she said.

Cork City Council has installed over 70 planter across the city in recent years, its spokesperson said.

“Our parks team puts a lot of effort into maintaining various spring and summer pollinator displays, bringing great colour to our streets throughout the year, and giving much pleasure to people, as is evidenced from the very favourable feedback we receive,” they said.