Heartless thieves were yesterday branded “evil” after they robbed a
grieving family just two days after burying their 14-year-old son.
The schoolboy, buried on Monday, died after he fell from a tractor on the Glenville-Killavullen road last Friday.
Fr Michael Corkery, who officiated at the Requiem Mass, yesterday said
the “absolutely heinous act” had shocked every decent person living in
the village.
He said robberies from vehicles parked outside graveyards had become
more prevalent around the countryside in recent years, but it was
particularly sad that the Murphy family had been targeted so soon after
Micheál’s tragic death.
“It’s evil-minded people that do this. It’s completely inhuman to
inflict further pain on people who are grieving,” Fr Corkery said.
He called on the thieves to repent and return the stolen items to the family, if necessary, by leaving them in a church.
Fr Corkery said he would be visiting the family to offer his support.
Glanworth-based county councillor Frank O’Flynn described the theft as “despicable.”
“How could somebody do that to a family who only buried their son a
couple of days ago?” he said. “It is the lowest of the low and I hope
the culprit or culprits are caught and brought to justice quickly.
“Local people are very shocked. Glanworth is normally a very law-abiding
village and I’d appeal to anybody who knows who did this to immediately
inform the gardaí,” the Fianna Fáil councillor said.
Gardaí have confirmed that the incident occurred on Wednesday between
7.20pm and 8.05pm at St Dominic’s New Cemetery in the village.
“We want to talk to anybody who saw any suspicious activity in the area around that time,” a garda spokesman said.
“The driver’s side window of the blue Volkswagen Passat had been
smashed. A handbag had been taken which contained some cash and personal
items.”
* Anyone with information is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station at 025 82100.