Heartless joyriders destroyed Ireland’s first youth circus this week, when the car they were driving crashed into a circus van which was set a blaze.
Between 6am and 7am on Monday, a car full of joyriders plummeted into the back of the Galway Community Circus van, going on fire and spreading to both vehicles. The incident occurred in the Newcastle area of Galway city, and the joyriders fled the scene before the emergency services arrived.
The back of the van was completely burnt out, causing severe damage to more than €10,000 worth of circus equipment. Equipment included acrobatic mats worth more than €3,000 alone, a PA system, juggling equipment, and juggling hats which were left completely burnt and melted. Galway Community Circus was set up in 2002, and holds classes every Thursday in Shantalla Community Centre. The project also works with refugees in the Eglinton hotel and Annaghdown school, but cannot continue its charity work due to all the equipment being damaged in the blaze.
Michelle O’Neil, a member of the Circus board of management told the Galway Advertiser last night, “The van was our only means of transport, this has absolutely devastated the outreach programme and destroyed the circus. We have no equipment, everything was burnt, even down to Pipa the clown’s shoes, which she had for years.
“We are a registered charity and can’t afford to purchase new equipment. Karin Whimmer set up the circus when she came to Ireland, and 25 years of her life have now gone up in flames. We can’t salvage anything.”
Most of the work involved in the circus is done voluntarily. “It is devastating to see the stuff the kids used, and made them so happy just to be destroyed like that.”
The community project is appealing to anyone who was in the Newcastle area at the time of the crash, who may have seen anything in either Hazel Park or Cherry Park, to step forward and contact the gardaí in Millstreet Garda Station.
Karin Whimmer, co-founder of the youth circus gave a message to those involved, “You have no idea what you have destroyed. You burnt down not only an existence, but the wire I had managed to walk on for so long.” Describing her reason for setting up the circus, “I wanted to help so many young people in their future and brighten up the life in Galway. With one single bang and a quick adrenaline hit for you, you destroyed what took me years of working seven days a week, 52 days a year.
“We just achieved charity status, formed the limited company, everything was working out but now we are standing again at the beginning, and you have taken my livelihood, my job, and my ambition. Are you satisfied?”
