Photo: CatholicIreland.net The Archbishop of Cashel and Emly has appealed for the return of the head of a statue outside the cathedral in Thurles that was decapitated recently.
The motive for the vandalism of the 14-foot statue of Archbishop Patrick Leahy, which was placed there in tribute in 1911, has not been established. Archbishop Leahy was responsible for the building of the Cathedral of Assumption and no trace of his head has been found.
Five months after the decapitation, Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly said over the weekend that it has “upset the people of the archdiocese and, in particular, the people of the town of Thurles”.
“I appeal today to any person who may be able to provide information about the incident or the whereabouts of the damaged piece of the statue to come forward,” he said, asking anyone with information to contact the gardaí investigating the case at Thurles Garda station.
“A committee of the parish is offering a reward for information leading to the recovery of the head of the statue of Archbishop Patrick Leahy,” he added.