Joyriders smash into GAA car-park wall

Crash highlights joyriding problem at Islandeady GAA carpark


Anton McNulty

The problem of joyriding in the carpark of Islandeady GAA Club was highlighted over the weekend when a car crashed into the boundary wall. The incident occurred on Sunday evening when the Ford Focus car knocked the stone wall from the inside and caused extensive damage to the front of the car.The GAA carpark has in recent years become a favourite haunt for joyriders where they perform handbrake turns and donuts on the tarmac at night. The open space of the carpark is seen by the joyriders as an ideal spot for their activities.
Eamon Walsh, PRO of Islandeady GAA Club, told The Mayo News that he did not know the circumstances of this recent incident but acknowledged that the carpark is  often used by the joyriders.
“The carpark has been used for a bit of spinning over the last few years. It happens at night but you would see the evidence on the tarmac the next day. We swept chippings off the tarmac which has made it less attractive for them but it still goes on,” he said.
The community also use the carpark when attending the church and the community centre and Walsh said that it almost impossible to keep the carpark closed all the time to stop the joyriders using it.