Firefighters rushed to the scene after thugs set fire to a tree in a north Dublin park last night.
The Dublin Fire Brigade crew from Finglas extinguished the blaze that had been set alight in Santry Demense on Sunday evening.
Shockingly enough this is the second time a landmark tree has been set on fire in the northside in the span of 24 hours.
The spectacular Peace Tree in Raheny was torched by vandals in the early hours of Monday, leaving a large part of the iconic landmark scorched black.
Stephen Bradshaw, a local volunteer at the park's Dublin City Farm, said he was dismayed to hear what had happened to the tree but warned that incidents involving gangs in the area were spiralling "out of control".
DJ and gym owner Raymond Shah, who lives right next to the park, posted images of the damage on his social media platforms.
He told Dublin Live how disappointed he was that thugs could attack a sculpture that brings so much joy to all who see it.
Speaking from the site of the damage, he said: "It looks like hopefully it might be able to be restored.
"It's just soul destroying. If it was symbolic of something that upsets people, or was controversial in any way, that would be one thing, you'd almost understand why it was done, but it's not.
"This tree is a beautiful work of art that celebrates the wildlife in the area and brings joy to all who visit it - kids and adults alike.
"I live opposite it and I see how much happiness it brings to people every day with my own eyes.
"I just don't get why anyone would want to do this. It's heartbreaking."
The 200 year old Macrocarpa tree at north east corner of St Anne’s Park was sculpted into a stunning 10m piece of art that celebrates the wildlife in the area around five years ago.
The landmark sculpture, which sits just across the road from the causeway to Bull Island and Dollymount Strand, is the creation of English artist Tommy Craggs.
Craggs was commissioned to create the landmark by Dublin City Council after the tree more commonly known as a Monterey cypress was found to be diseased and dying back in 2014.
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