'We were trying to do a good thing': Cork soccer club's defibrillator destroyed

College Corinthians AFC, a soccer club based in Douglas, has criticised an act of senseless vandalism which saw their defibrillator destroyed over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

John O'Regan, the club chairman, told The Echo that it happened between 10pm on Friday night and 7am Saturday, and that it was the first time that the club had experienced vandalism like this.

“It’s in an open space so you’d have people around there, but nothing has ever happened before, and it’s been there for a good few years now,” he said.

“We deliberately put it outside the gate with the access entry code visible so that if, God forbid, anybody needed it then it was accessible, and we gave out flyers to all the neighbours a few years ago explaining where it was and how to access it if they needed it.” 

He explained that they were “trying to do a good thing” by having it out where it could be accessed so it could be of use to the community.

“If you wanted to steal it, you could,” he said, but explained that it hadn’t been stolen with the intention of selling it but simply destroyed.

“They broke the glass window, even though they could’ve used the code and opened it, and then they took it out and smashed it on the ground - just for the sake of pure vandalism", Mr O Regan said.

Posting a photograph of the damage on X, a spokesperson for the club wrote, “Unfortunately, we have to report that the Club Defibrillator situated at the entrance to Corinthians Park was vandalised and destroyed last night.

“Hard to comprehend or understand the minds of people who would carry out such an act.”

College Corinthians AFC has reported the vandalism to the Gardaí.