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Frank McCourt museum in Limerick thrashed by thugs

Vandalism of museum dedicated to writer of ‘Angelas’ Ashes’

MOLLY MULDOON,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 7:00 AM

Updated Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 10:34 AM

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A memorial service was held for beloved Irish writer Frank McCourt in Manhattan

Photo gallery - Frank McCourt

Major damage has been caused during a burglary at the Frank McCourt Museum in Limerick.

Vandals smashed doors and left antique school desks upturned before stealing a computer, printer and a small amount of cash.

McCourt’s book ‘Angela’s Ashes’ about growing up in Limerick won him the Pulitzer Prize and was a runaway best seller as were two other books he wrote subsequently. ‘Angelas’ Ashes also became a major Hollywood film.

The museum which was developed by Una Heaton and her husband John at Frank McCourt’s old school on Hartstonge Street in County Limerick, has been featured on cable television here in the U.S. on St. Patrick’s Day.

A well known local artist, Una Heaton was desvastated by the news of the robbery.

“I can’t believe this could happen. Crime has got completely out of hand here in Ireland,” she told the Irish Examiner.

“We were travelling around New York when we were over for the St Patrick’s Day broadcast which featured the museum, and you felt safe. Then, after we return home we come and see this damage to the museum. I was very shocked.

"Eight doors were broken and smashed. And then we have all the hassle and upset that people have broken and intruded into your property.

"Hopefully the guards will catch them. It was wanton vandalism. It is so upsetting, But we are open for business and always will be," she said.

The museum was officially opened by Ellen McCourt, the widow of the "Angela’s Ashes" author last May and has since become a major tourist attraction.

Nster.com

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28 Comments

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sirpeter | Apr 01, 2011, 06:56 AM EDT

I see my hard hitting post was taken down. Still delighted it was torn to pieces.

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Parents | Mar 31, 2011, 09:50 PM EDT

such a sad story Angelia's Ashes...I was glad it became a best seller and did well for him. Really sad also that we have these thugs destroying something like that. I hope they catch them soon and find a way for them to make it right.

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ellenfromcork | Mar 31, 2011, 08:00 PM EDT

Araah mary and fell, give over, the two of ya would ya? Frank wasn't writing about his mother's "prostitution", he was writing about what she had to do to keep her children alive! The curse of the Irish is not drink,but the inability to talk about the miseries of life. ( That's what leads to the drinking!)

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maryosullivan | Mar 31, 2011, 12:14 PM EDT

None as so lost as those who conspire with those who debase them Have it your way. Words will not cover up dirty deeds no matter how many time you repeat those words. McCourt would have had a great time writing for cartooning for Punch

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feliciamaisey | Mar 31, 2011, 11:41 AM EDT

maryosullivan--your comments are offensive and you did not even bother to spell Frank McCourt's name correctly--Ack. I think whether one likes or dislikes Frank McCourt's work, there is no denying that he crafted a story that captivated the imagination, and touched the empathy chip in most people. His books were written in a way that provoked deeper thought and propelled people of all cultures to consider the implications of their actions. I do not know why so many people feel a need to bash Angela's Ashes, when the book and subsequent movie were provocatively done, and only served to aid Limerick in tourism ever since. The city is a tough m place, but people flock there just the same, and many will tell you it is because of Frank McCourt's story. For all the ney sayers out there, keep on turning a blind's eye to possibilities and the reality of shaming the child by actions of the parent(s); no wonder so many children continue to suffer on the world-wide stage, when everyone is so worried about "trotting it out for all to see." Let's just bury our heads in the sand shall we, and pretend the world is a beautifully perfect place.

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1IrishMedic | Mar 30, 2011, 08:54 PM EDT

Tis a shame that a tribute to Frank McCourt should undergo such desecration. He was a fine author and man and grew up with some terrible demons. As far as his story "Angela's Ashes", this was an effort to explain life as a lesson not to "tell everyone's business" as we were tragically trained in our childhood, to hide the " problems". A story like this gives some of us a great deal of hope and a place to know we are not alone with these tragedies in life. We use counselors and psychiatrists to rid ourselves of these demons, when in fact if the families got together and worked to help the drunks and drug addicts of the world, we'd be a far better people. I have seen so many people in the same situations in my medical practice, and I know from personal experience that family cooperation and love cures many ills. By the way Angela McCourt was a Sheehan and I'm proud to share the same name.

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ellenfromcork | Mar 30, 2011, 08:30 PM EDT

Obviously a poor speller wrote this story. It's "trashed" not "thrashed". Where were the editors? Oh, I forgot, no humans any more, only spellcheck.

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maryosullivan | Mar 30, 2011, 07:18 PM EDT

There are alcoholic families everywhere, people of all kinds Irish or otherwise who live squalid lives. My question is who or what is served by trotting it out for all to see. If this book had any redeeming features I would like to know of them

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waterford024 | Mar 30, 2011, 07:02 PM EDT

Such louts. Sadly, it is common all over Ireland how people are so disrespectful of property. If you leave your place for a week you can be sure it will be smashed. Obviously, people found Angela's ashes extreme but this is how a family of an alcoholic lived. Obviously, some readers can't connect with that, however, IT IS TRUE. Try and live with one and you'll see. You have to do what you do to survive and thats what the McCourts did.

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maryosullivan | Mar 30, 2011, 06:36 PM EDT

Dublinjas; A civil reply would have sufficed, I still don't know what point you were trying to make For the record I was born and raised in Croom, Co Limerick, which does not have any sway on my opinion of McCourt or his book. Any man who is obliged to write about his mother's prostitution doesn't have a whole lot to impart of any value to anyone

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JoanKaren | Mar 30, 2011, 05:43 PM EDT

What a sad world we have when people will steal from a museum. I hope they get caught. What's next, armed guards with dogs? Sad, sad sitution.

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kickstar | Mar 30, 2011, 04:57 PM EDT

The Irish people are famous for pulling down their own successful people..Why him/her and not me? syndrome, It is undoubtedly jealousy, that you see expressed by some of the comments posted on here, but the people who trashed the museum are just plain old vandals and thugs something else Limerick has in abundance.

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Beatriz | Mar 30, 2011, 04:28 PM EDT

I'm heartbroken. I simply adore the man and can't believe they would do something so awful. He has had such a tremendous influence in my life that I hold him in reverence. Thanks to him I was able to write my own memoir, "Beyond the Snows of the Andes." I hope they fix it and secure it soon, and catch the thugs that did this. I will go to Limerick myself some day to pay homage to him. He's my hero, always has been, always will be. Reading the mean spirited comments below, I'm shocked, but greatness always bring out the worst in some people so I'm not surprised. I'm sure he encountered this undisguised envy, malice and pettiness in his lifetime and didn't let it touch him. McCourt told the truth, he shone a light into a hidden world and for that he has to be repudiated. The truth hurts, doesn't it? But he always had the last laugh.

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Dublinjas | Mar 30, 2011, 04:06 PM EDT

maryosullivan, Since you are querying you must be one yourself, since I never met an Irish person in my life who didn't know what a Knacker was.

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RedBranch | Mar 30, 2011, 01:08 PM EDT

Best move upstairs to Italy!

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