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18 Sept 2025
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18 Sept 2025
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The Bug Hotel in Piltown was severely damaged
The destruction of a community Tidy Towns project in south Kilkenny has been described as ‘shocking’ and ‘sickening.’
The Ink Bottle Bug Hotel in the village of Piltown was officially ‘opened’ earlier this summer, but the local Keep Piltown Tidy group shared the terrible news of its destruction last Sunday.
Posting on social media, the group said it was ‘disappointed and hurt’ to find the destruction that morning.
It is thought the damage (pictured right) was caused overnight. Gardaí are now working with the community to gather information.
Modeled on one of the area’s well-known features, the Ink Bottle House in Belline, the bug hotel was designed to provide a home and shelter to bugs, birds and bats.
Thanks to sponsorship from local companies, and a year of work by Keep Piltown Tidy, €17,000 was spent on the project.
The group described the bug hotel as “a labour of love” and have vowed to rebuild, even if it takes time.
Local councillor, and deputy chair of the Piltown Municipal District, Jenny Catt-Slattery, said the damage was ‘devastating’ for the local community.
“I couldn’t believe it, because I had admired it as I passed it,” she said. “To think anyone would do that is shocking, it’s soul destroying. Such work went into it, it’s such a shame.
“The people of Piltown don’t deserve that kind of carry-on. This is very disappointing and very upsetting for Piltown Tidy Towns. It’s a beautiful village,” she said.
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Tidy Towns groups across the region offered their words of support to the Piltown group on reading the news.
Enniscorthy Tidy Town described the destruction of the bug hotel as ‘sickening’, while Oola Tidy Towns described it as ‘absolutely horrible behaviour’.
The bug hotel included 23 bird nest boxes with a roof space for birds and bats to roost; a layer of timber, logs and bamboo; a layer of loosely packed bricks as well as soil and branches, cones, straw and rolled cardboard.
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