Duleek councillor’s shock at arson attack on her local office
FELLOW councillors rallied around Duleek based politician and General Election candidate Sharon Keogan after her Duleek HQ was the subject of a petrol bomb attack.
The outspoken community representative said she can only speculate as to the reasons behind this act of violence and intimidation, saying “Anyone who knows me, knows the work that I do and it won’t deter my work. I’m here to serve the community and will continue to do what I can to make our communities safe for all.”
Her office helps people in relation to social housing, social welfare, Drugs, Tidy Towns, Mental Health, Youth support services and more.
“This office is here to serve the community of Duleek who elected me to represent and support them. This arson attack is not only an attack on me but also the people of the area. We have to stand together to say this is not acceptable.”
Keogan has been vocal about the drug gangs who have infiltrated Duleek and the surrounding district. In February 2019 she set up “The Feel Good Project” to address the issue of addiction in the community and provide support and positive action to parents and teenagers who are being intimidated by these gangs. Gardai are investigating the incident. “My office is destroyed but I am going to continue to work hard for the community. The office is adjoined to apartments too so this could have been devastating for so many people. I am very upset and shocked that this would happen to me when all I try to do is good”
At last week’s area council meeting in Duleek, Cllr Paddy Meade said the incident was ‘an attack on democracy itself ’ and elements want to spread fear, leading to gang warfare. He said Sharon does a lot of great work for the community. Cllr Stephen McKee agreed, saying it was a shocking act and he also sent best wishes to the innocent local man who was also injured in an incident earlier in the week.
Cllr Annie Hoey said the feud in Drogheda had spiraled out into the district.
Cllr Keogan admitted that she was still in shock and that we had reached a new low, but said that she’d ‘ keep going’ and that the murder of Keane Mulready Woods meant there should be ‘no hiding place’ for criminals and people should ‘out them’ and make them pay for their crimes against ‘ honest, decent people.’