Northern Ireland

Police probe vandals who defaced Irish language signs

Irish language council signs on the Ballyward Road, near Castlewellan, Co Down, have been defaced
Irish language council signs on the Ballyward Road, near Castlewellan, Co Down, have been defaced Irish language council signs on the Ballyward Road, near Castlewellan, Co Down, have been defaced

POLICE investigating the defacing of Irish language council signs in Co Down said those responsible were "dragging us backward to a divided society".

The Irish wording of several signs in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, including on Ballyward Road near Castlewellan, has been obscured by black spray paint.

The signs feature Irish above English - a decision taken prior to the launch of the new council in April 2015 and which sparked complaints from unionists.

The Irish News reported the vandalism earlier this week.

Writing on the PSNI Newry & Mourne Facebook page yesterday, police said they were investigating the criminal damage.

"While it might just be a bit of paint to be washed off, there is a greater cost to this!" an officer wrote.

"Although it is our rates that go towards removing, cleaning and replacing these signs, there is a far greater cost!

"By destroying the Irish language part of this sign, the offender is dragging us backwards to a divided society at a time of the year when community tensions are already heightened."

Police appealed for information.