‘We fundraise for every addition to the Clogheenmilcon Fen… These benches and seats don’t come cheap’
14:13, 04 Jan 2026Updated 15:05, 04 Jan 2026
Clogheenmilcon – Benches burned
Locals living around a scenic Cork walkway have slammed the ‘disgraceful’ vandals who scorched a picnic setup purchased through the hard work of volunteers.
The benches at the Clogheenmilcon Walk’s Killeens-side entrance were set alight shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, causing a large blaze that sent out plumes of smoke into the surrounding area. One local who was driving past the fire at around 1.15am said they could feel the heat even from inside their car, and called the emergency services as soon as possible.
The flames were extinguished that night, however the benches and picnic table were heavily damaged. Video of the damages – which you can check out at the top of the article – shows that the setup is completely charred, the backs of some benches have collapsed and the tabletop was warped from the high heat.
The scorched picnic benches and table(Image: The Boys & Girls of Knocka / Facebook)
This amenity – like many of the other features at the Clogheenmilcon Fen nature reserve – was installed by a volunteer group that cares for the area. In a social media post, they shared their frustration at such a senseless act of vandalism, saying: “Not the way we wanted to start off 2026. We are a small voluntary group who fundraise and work hard for every addition to the Clogheenmilcon Fen. These benches and seats don’t come cheap. A sorry day for everyone who loves the Fen. Shame on those who abuse it.”
Many other locals were quick to condemn the “heartless” act. The owner of the popular Blarney Blog Facebook page wrote: “Absolutely disgraceful, terrible to see the hard work of the Clogheenmilcon Fen voluntary group ruined like this.” Another added: “Thats awful carry on. Idiots doing crap like that, ruining it for families, elderly and other people who use these facilities.”
A third wrote: “Whoever it is should come forward. If it was a small mischief gone horribly wrong, there is a path forward to making it right.”
The Clogheenmilcon Fen is a natural wetland that attracts up to 83 species of birds and 10 species of small mammals annually. The Clogheenmilcon Sanctuary Walkway runs alongside the N20 road between Killeens Cross and Blarney and is a very popular spot for dog walkers and families.
The damaged benches(Image: Blarney Blog / Facebook)
This is at least the second heartless act of public vandalism seen in Co. Cork over the past few weeks. In mid-December, one group of bad actors took it upon themselves to ruin a Christmas decoration display in Mitchelstown. Residents awoke to find that part of the snowman had been kicked in, causing the display to topple over.
Unfortunately, due to he extent of the damage, the snowman had to be removed from the display – but was later added back thanks to the hardworking members of the Mitchelstown Business Association.
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