Enniscorthy grotto is left in the dark despite light being erected

A statue of the Virgin Mary, in a grotto in Enniscorthy, has been left in the dark despite the local authority placing a light at the location.

Residents in and around the Moran Park area, where the grotto is located, had long called for a light to be installed there to prevent anti-social behaviour taking place and to allow regular visitors to the grotto to be able to visit in peace.

However, the light that was erected shines directly down onto a bench situated in front of the grotto where people sit when visiting, but it still leaves the main grotto area completely in the dark at night time.

One of the residents in the area, Bernard O’Leary, said people are disappointed that the light that was erected, which is about 30 feet up in the air, fails to shed any glow at all on the grotto itself.

"We are grateful to have the light erected and we appreciate the council doing that but people are disappointed because the grotto itself is still in the dark," he said.

"We need to have a spotlight on the grotto itself,” he added. "We need to have the whole grotto lit up.”

The area had been the target for ant-social behaviour in the past, however, those incidents have diminished in recent times but the residents say having a proper light shining on the grotto itself would be beneficial to everybody.