Punters beware!

On Wednesday, while walking down the Main Street, I was asked by a young lad to sponsor him for a sponsored walk arranged by Kilcullen Football club. He had a sponsorship card and I asked him if it was for the GAA club or the Soccer club -- he indicated the GAA under 13s.

I asked him his name and where he lived, his name was no problem but when he indicated that he lived in the estate below the bridge which he could not name I became suspicious ...

As I spoke to him I observed two other lads asking any person passing them on the street. They appeared to be getting plenty of names on their cards. But it all looked a bit fishy ...

A few minutes later the group of lads arrived into the shop I was in and again asked those present for sponsorship, which some locals gladly gave, as it appeared to be for the local football club.

Speaking to one of the people they indicated the lads had been on the street the day before collecting also.

I contacted a friend in the GAA and he indicated he had asked the same lads the previous day what club they were collecting for –- that day it was the Soccer club.

As I am involved in the soccer club and the friend in the GAA it appeared the lads were up to no good and using each club's name to deceive the Kilcullen public into giving them money under very false pretences.

The local Gardai were on the street at the time and a quick word in their ear had the lads picked up and brought off to the station. They were indeed up to no good and were from another local town. They received a dressing down from the Garda and the sponsorship cards and any funds collected were confiscated.

The funds will be distributed equally to the GAA and Soccer club.

All Clubs in the town have difficulty enough with raising funds without this type of scam. So beware – if you are not completely satisfied that a collector is bona fide then ask for some sort of identification or enquire what club they belong to and who their leader, coach, mentor is.

Ray Kelly.