Concern has been expressed over the future preservation of Waterford's Quaker heritage.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Eamon Quinlan believes there are concerted attempts ongoing to destroy areas of Wyse Park in the city centre.
The park originally served as a Quaker graveyard which was entrusted to the local authority by members of the Quaker community for all people of Waterford to use as a public park, so long as the centuries old tombstones were maintained.
The site includes St John’s Priory, built by the Knights Hospitallers almost 800 years ago.
"These are tombstones of people whose descendants still reside in Waterford," said Cllr Quinlan.
"Families who have given generations towards Waterford. The Quaker community is small but has had a vibrant role in Waterford for hundreds of years. The uniqueness of Wyse Park was that it was handed over to the local authority by the Quaker community many years ago, in an act of huge generosity, so that inner city families would have a green park space to enjoy."
Cllr Quinlan is concerned by the repeated "targeting" of the area which has seen many tombstones sprayed with graffiti.
"Our Council staff only have the place clean a few days and it happens again," he said.
"Once the tombstones are damaged, there is nothing we can do. The sheer sense of destruction towards the tombstones and again, not towards any of the city’s other tombstones, located in various graveyards, makes me feel like this has an element of sinister intent.”
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