THE family of the late Limerick City councillor Joe Crowley has appealed for the return of a plaque that was due to be unveiled in his memory.
Less than a day before the ceremony, the stone monument was stolen from its setting at Westfield Park on Limerick’s North Circular Road.
It is believed that vandals stole the plaque last Thursday night from beneath a bench in memory of the late councillor.
Cllr Crowley’s daughter, Vivienne, who took her father’s local authority seat, said that it was a mindless act of vandalism which her family has taken personally.
She said her family was “angry” at the theft but acknowledged that “we’ve dealt with worse things over the past year, but this has affected all of us as well as dad’s friends who had been looking forward to the official unveiling.
Ms Crowley (24) said that her family would just like to have the plaque returned.
Joe Crowley passed away at the age of 54 after he collapsed while out canvassing with his long time friend and Fianna Fail party colleague Deputy Willie O’Dea.
His death in February 2016 shocked the local political business communities where the former deputy Mayor was well known and much loved.
At the time, Deputy O’Dea said that “Joe was one of the nicest guys you could meet. Everybody who met him had great affection for him. He had not a bad word to say about anyone. He wanted to help everyone. We have lost a decent human being”.
