Walkers are put at risk after vandalism along Buncrana riverside
According to the Mill River group, a storm drain grill located on the Mill River path above the waterfalls was deliberately removed and thrown into the river near a weir.
The Mill River Conservation Group has expressed deep concern following another incident of vandalism and environmental damage along the popular Mill River walkway in Buncrana.
Group members say that while “kids will be kids,” recent actions have crossed the line from harmless pranks into behaviour that poses a serious public safety risk and damages years of community work.
According to the Mill River group, a storm drain grill located on the Mill River path above the waterfalls was deliberately removed and thrown into the river near a weir. The incident required the group’s project officer to enter the river in recent days to recover the drain cover and reinstall it safely before walkers could be injured.
The group also reported that rubbish, including bottles and biscuit wrappers, were left behind at the scene, adding further “insult” for volunteers involved in maintaining the area.
Community volunteers from the conservation group, alongside local organisations including Tidy Towns and Buncrana GAA, have spent years working to improve and protect the river environment.
Additional damage was also discovered in the Scarvey area, where a log bench designed as part of a nature-based environmental solution was pulled from the upper bank and rolled onto a riverbank erosion revetment constructed in 2023 in partnership with the Inishowen Rivers Trust. The bench was later found partially submerged in the stream and again had to be removed and replaced by volunteers.
The Conservation group says this is not an isolated incident. In 2024, there were reports of fireworks being set off dangerously along the pathway, while young trees and other community projects have also allegedly been repeatedly targeted and damaged.
In a statement, the Mill River Conservation Group confirmed that they have now received the names of those allegedly involved, along with evidence relating to the latest incident, and intend to pass the information to An Garda Síochána.
The group is now appealing to the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or destructive activity around the river walkway and the nearby Buncrana GAA grounds to the Gardai.
They stressed that environmental vandalism and deliberate damage to public property not only threaten wildlife habitats and community amenities, but also create genuine safety risks for residents and visitors using the riverside paths.