Vandals who daubed a slogan and smashed a plaque on a newly erected monument in Carrigaline, Co Cork to British seafarer, Sir Francis Drake have been strongly condemned by a local councillor for their "outrageous behaviour".
Vandals daubed "Ní Seoiníní sinn go léir" (we are not all toadies) on the 18-foot high Drake Sail unveiled on July 1st by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, to commemorate Sir Francis's evading of a Spanish fleet by sailing up the Owenabue River in 1589.
Labour Cllr Paula Desmond said yesterday the graffiti was obviously inspired by "anti-English sentiment" and she condemned it as "outrageous" behaviour which failed to take account of Ireland's modern relationship with Britain. "As a society, we have gone way beyond this and it makes me so angry to think some fossil is walking around who think it's 1798," she said.
