DUBLIN'S ICONIC Luke Kelly statue has been defaced for the seventh time in just over a year.
In what is by now a regular occurrence, locals near Sheriff Street in Dublin woke up to the bust of the Dubliner's singer having been defaced with spray paint.
The statue was unveiled in January 2019 to mark the 35th anniversary of his death, close to where the musician grew up, and has been attacked and vandalised multiple times since.
The newest act of vandalism has seen the bust destroyed in blue spray paint (North Walls Community Association)Just last month, the local community was left shocked and angry as both of the city's Luke Kelly statues-- both unveiled in January 2019-- had been destroyed with white paint overnight.
There had been calls for the Sheriff Street statue to be moved to a different area, but most would prefer for the bust to remain close to where the singer was born.
In a statement following the latest act of vandalism, the North Wall Community Association said the incident is hugely frustrating but "not unexpected".
The statue has been vandalised multiple times since being unveiled in January 2019"Following the last six times it has happened, we have consistently said Luke should not be moved but protected," it said in a statement
There have been multiple calls for CCTV to be installed, as well as raising the plinth upon which the bust sits and the installation of a 5ft spiked railing, but there have been no preventative measures taken so far.
The NWCA urged the city council to take urgent action to protect the statue before another incident occurs, adding that it "will surely happen".
President Michael D Higgins with his wife Sabina unveil Vera Klute's statue of Luke Kelly at the Royal Canal in January 2019 (Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie)The community association finished by apologising to Luke Kelly's family for their continued distress caused by the repeated acts of vandalism.
"We are very proud of the fact that Luke was born and raised in the North Wall," the statement reads, "and ask that these terrible attacks stop and that this mindless stupidity is ended once and for all."
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