IRELAND’S ANSWER to the Make A Wish Foundation was the victim of a heartless burglary in the early hours of this morning, as the charity’s Fun Centre was robbed and destroyed by thieves who “tunnelled their way” into the building.
The Share A Dream Foundation released a statement earlier today confirming that their Limerick-based Dreamland Fun Centre had been broken into and robbed, with CCTV images showing the break-in looking like an “escape from Alcatraz”.
Thieves tunnelled into the building using axes and hammers and caused massive structural damage to the building, destroying walls and security cameras as they searched for the charity’s money.
The Share a Dream Foundation has worked with thousands of children across the country to help their dreams come true and give them respite from hospitals, painful treatments, loneliness and fear.
The founder of Share A Dream, Shay Kinsella, voiced his upset at the cruel burglary, saying "After 27 years of making dreams come true for over 20,000 children I don't think I can take anymore".
Share a Dream Dreamland Fun Centre has been burgled once again.
The scene this morning at 4am in Dreamland was...
Posted by Share A Dream Foundation on Tuesday, October 29, 2019
But the charity exists first and foremost to make children happy, and he confirmed the foundation will not let the robbery affect their planned events.
"We are still going ahead this morning with our Halloween camp with 20 children,” Mr Kinsella said, “And our launch with the Commissioner on Thursday will still take place.".
It’s hard to understand how anyone could steal from a charity for sick children, but horrifically this is not the first time it has happened—just last month, thieves smashed down the doors of the building and took thousands of euro which had been raised to make dreams come true for 15 children fighting terrible life-threatening illnesses.
The charity have said they are “devastated” that this could happen again just as they were getting back on their feet after the last callous attack.
Share A Dream are a charity which receives no funding from the government and rely totally on support from the community.
To read more about the foundation or to provide a donation you can visit their website here.