OPW vehicles wrecked and facilities torched amid €500,000 damage in escalation of row over Castletown House

Confirming “a number of incidents” last weekend at Donaghcumper House in the town, the OPW said there had been fire damage to outbuildings and staff welfare facilities.

The property is used to transfer staff to and from Castletown House, where there is a major access row and deep unhappiness over landholding rights.

“Over the course of the May Bank Holiday weekend a number of OPW and contractor vehicles as well as four CCTV towers on the site were significantly damaged,” the OPW told the Irish Independent.

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, TD commented: “This criminal damage to State property owned and managed by the OPW is shocking and unacceptable.”

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A Garda investigation is underway, with the cost of the damage to the OPW predicted to be in excess of €500,000.

“I would urge anyone with information to contact An Garda Síochána,” Mr Moran said.

“At this time, the safety and wellbeing of OPW staff is of paramount importance,” he added.

The OPW already has significant security infrastructure in place at Donaghcumper and has added to this on the advice of An Garda Síochána, it is understood.

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, staff of the OPW returned to their workplace in Castletown House after months away.

“To provide access for OPW staff to their workplace, they reported to Donaghcumper House, Celbridge, and were transported via OPW-owned and branded vehicles to Castletown House.

“Over the period April 22-30, 2025 a number of incidents took place in the Donaghcumper House site, including fire damage to outbuildings and staff welfare facilities.”

This culminated in last weekend’s attack in which it is understood that a teleporter may have been used to flip vehicles onto their rooves before they were further wrecked.

It has been claimed that the teleporter was subsequently dumped in the river Liffey.