Limerick gravedigger’s prayers are answered after his €20k digger was stolen
'It was four fellas wearing balaclavas in a silver car. They had it gone in one minute 20 seconds'
GRAVEDIGGER Patsy McCarthy is the last person to let you down when the time comes and after his mechanical digger and trailer was stolen, he wasn’t let down by gardai or his family.
Thieves hitched up the trailer and digger outside the 80-year-old’s home in Askeaton in the early hours of Thursday, October 17. The 2019 mechanical digger alone cost him €20,000.
“There was a camera above it. It was four fellas wearing balaclavas in a silver car. They had it gone in one minute 20 seconds,” said Patsy, who got “a fair land” the following morning when he saw it had vanished.
“I thought it was gone forever. I was told it was probably gone in a container to England. I’m a long time digging but I wouldn't be able to start again,” said Patsy, who dug his first grave when he was just 14.
Gardai immediately started an investigation and family members started an awareness campaign on social media.
Last Friday, Patsy got a phone call from gardai that they had found his digger and trailer in Doneraile.
“God I was delighted. The guards brought it from Doneraile to Charleville and I picked it up on Friday. I stuck the key into it and it started not a bother. They must have carried it from here and left it - maybe it got too hot,” said Patsy, who is married to Frances and they have five adult children Pat, Joe, Gerard, Michelle and Denise.
Patsy wants to thank investigating gardai and especially Garda Aidan Haddock, based in Askeaton.
“I have to give them all the height of praise. Garda Haddock put an awful lot into it. Even when he was off he was following it and funnily enough the garda that found it worked here about 20 years ago,” said Patsy, who is very popular in Askeaton due to his community involvement.
The former council employee for 40 years managed the local swimming pool for decades and coached youngsters. He is also very involved in rowing and fishing.
Patsy says he feels as good as he did when he was 30 and hopes to be digging graves for the next 10 years thanks to the efforts of gardai and his family in getting his digger back.
It will now be stored behind locked gates. Gardai say there have been no arrests made and the investigation is ongoing.