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22 Oct 2025
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22 Oct 2025
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'Mindless idiots' vandalise iconic golf ball at Ballyliffin Golf Club
'Mindless idiots' have vandalised the iconic giant golf ball at Ballyliffin Golf Club in North Donegal.
The golf ball was one of several, which were placed at vantage points all over Donegal, in advance of the 2018 Irish Open, which took place at the Inishowen club.
Speaking to Donegal , John Farren, the manager of Ballyliffin Golf Club said: “During Saturday night or early Sunday morning, individuals tried to remove the golf ball from its mountings on the mound at the entrance to the club house.
“They obviously used a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get up on top of the hill and tried to push the golf ball off its anchorage. In doing so, they damaged the sign and destroyed the concrete mounting which houses the golf ball.
“The golf ball is wedged there at the moment and we are currently trying to assess the damage and see if it is fixable. We are going to try and fix it. The vandals would have struggled to take the golf ball with them unless they had had a trailer. I think they were just intent on doing damage.
“An Garda Síochána have been on site and have taken statements but, unfortunately, without CCTV down there, it could be difficult to find the culprits, unless somebody owns up. Ballyliffin Golf Club has put out an appeal for anyone who knows what happened at the club, to get in touch with the club or the Garda,” said Mr Farren.
The giant golf balls were a joint Ballyliffin Golf Club and Fáilte Ireland project in the weeks leading up to the 2018 Irish open.
John Farren explained: “Ballyliffin Golf Club went to Fáilte Ireland with the idea of putting these golf balls around County Donegal to get people interested and enthused about the Irish Open coming to Inishowen.
“Fáilte Ireland agreed and it got the giant golf balls manufactured and placed all over Inishowen. They were at every entrance point from Muff, Quigley's Point, Buncrana, and of course here at Ballyliffin.
“They are an emblem of the success of the Irish Open. Unfortunately, these mindless idiots have tried to destroy it.”
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