Community rally around st mogues following robbery

A group calling themselves the 'Friends and Past Pupils of St Mogue’s College, Bawnboy’ is rallying behind the embattled west Cavan school in the aftermath of a recent robbery, which saw thousands of euro for books and other learning equipment stolen.
Last week’s theft “devastated” the rural school, with principal Anne Connaghan telling The Anglo-Celt it placed St Mogue’s in an “horrendously difficult” position, given that the money collected was due to be paid out that week to meet bills for new iPads, books, materials and buses.
Meanwhile, the Board of Management has released CCTV footage of a previous robbery last St Patrick’s Day during which thieves made off with €1,000. They hope the posting of the images on the school’s Facebook page will help in apprehending the culprits.
In the most recent robbery, the thieves smashed the glass panel in an emergency door to gain entry, disabled the main control panel governing the lighting, internet and CCTV and hoisted the heavy safe from its location before making their getaway.
Garda investigations are ongoing. The break-in on Sunday night, September 27 last, was all the more callous and carefully planned given that it occurred when the attention of the local community was elsewhere in celebrating Templeport’s historic Junior Football County Championship win.
“It has been very traumatic. How they managed to get in, do what they did, and make it out of the school building with the safe, I still don’t quite believe it. Never in your wildest dreams could you believe something like this could happen. It’s absolutely dreadful,” Ms Connaghan said.
A special account has now been opened in Ballyconnell Credit Union to collect money to help cover payments due from the school.
A spokesperson for 'Friends and Past Pupils of St. Mogue’s College, Bawnboy’ told the Celt this week: “We are appealing to your generosity, which has not been found wanting many times in the past in our West Cavan communities. Your support will be greatly appreciated. Every euro counts!”
To donate, go into the credit union using the IBAN code: 'IE27 BOFI 9032 9382 3291 75’, BIC: 'BOFIIE2D’, and referencing '7296 Friends of St Mogue’s’.