Property trashed while man on COVID duty
CALLOUS vandals have caused thousands of euros worth of damage to the former Dairygold creamery in Mourneabbey, the property of a Covid-19 frontline worker in Saudi Arabia.
Mark Murphy from Kilbrin has been working in Saudi Arabia for the past six years in order to be able to fund his dream of turning the creamery into a state of the art industrial safety training centre.
Mark owned and managed a safety training and consultancy firm in Kanturk and Kildare until the financial crash hit in 2008; now, he’s been hit again.
While Gardaí in Mallow are investigating the raid and appealing for information, Mark, a senior advisor in Maaden, the Saudi state mining company and commended by the Royal Family there, said this was a blow but he he would continue working towards his dream.
CALLOUS vandals have caused thousands of Euros worth of damage to Mourneabbey’s former creamery, now the property of a Saudi based health worker who hopes to eventually convert it into a state of the art industrial training centre.
The building was bought by Mark Murphy, a Kilbrin born safety expert who is currently working in Saudi Arabia to fund the project.
Gardaí in Mallow are investigating the incident and are appealing to anybody with information to contact the them.
In Saudi Arabia where Mark has been employed as a senior health and safety advisor with the state mining company, Maaden, he has received a number of commendations from the Royal family for his work.
He was saving his money towards this aim. “It’s an ongoing project and I’m saving funds to finish the project,” Mark told The Corkman.
“I have an amazing vision for a state of the art interactive learning and education centre but I have found Ireland has a very bureaucratic approach to business development.
“I have faced all kinds of challenges including planning issues along with a lack of grant aid for Mallow and surrounding area.
“All this is not very appealing but I am still determined to do all I can to get my business up and running.
“The news of the building and property being vandalised was a big shock and very disappointing.”
“The likes of that doesn’t happen out here. It’s just another blow to someone who is trying to create a business and create employment.
“Mourneabbey is a beautiful place and there is a great community spirit - it’s just so sad the people who decided to cause so much harm don’t stop and think.”
Mark had his own company, NST, based in Kanturk and Kildare with 16 employees, for a number of years but the 2008/9 financial crash ‘ took its toll’.
He went working in Nigeria for Guinness and headed a project which became the first ever to record one million safe worked hours.
That led him to working with the US engineering giant Fluor which led to a project in Saudi Arabia where he was invited to work with Maaden, the state mining and exploration company.
He has worked with Maaden for the past six years as a a health and safety instructor and consultant and has received a number of commendations from the Saudi Royal Family for his work.
While Saudi Arabia is doing relatively well in terms of COVID-19, 70,000 cases with 400 deaths, the major issue facing the country is the collapse in oil prices.
“I have been proactive with development of strategic planning and hands on training for emergency staff including the care workers that come face to face with victims of the virus, many of whom are migrant contractors from Asian countries,” said Mark.