I bring a gun to bed, we are living in fear

We are living in fear – Tipperary Robbery Victim speaks to Tipperary Times

“I bring a gun to bed. We are living in fear”. Clive Clarke speaks to Tipperary Times and Breakfast Newstalk about his frightening ordeal

Clive is a hard worker. He has set up a craft meat company and is widely seen as the life of a party. Behind the positive exterior, Clive and many families like his family live in constant fear. “People in rural Ireland are afraid to go out into their farm yard at night cause you’d never know what’s out there waiting for you”

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The family based in Barna were targeted for the 6th time in 10 years. Almost €13,000 worth of goods were stolen. “A group of men cut their way through security fence into our farm and removed the tractor from where it was parked in front of a shed. They brust open steel doors and proceeded then to steal quads, trailers and other equipment from the shed.”

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Photo Credit Selina O’Meara

The group also broke into the families butchering business on the same night last Tuesday. Clive is frustrated by the fact rural families are “prisoners in their own homes”.

Clive in a worrying turn, described in the days after the break in, evidence was found outside the family home which indicates a watch person was outside the family home in case a family member arose to interrupt the intruders. “They were outside waiting for us. If we came out, that would be it. We can’t do anything, we’re helpless”

“In our area and several other areas, farmers are now going to be on armed patrol at night. They are patrolling areas due to living in such fear. It’s not a question of if something is going to happen, it’s a matter of when”

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Photo Credit Selina O’Meara

After a robbery last year, Clive indicated he now sleeps with a gun by his side such is the fear his family live in. Clive has indicated that he will continue to try to campaign for greater resources.


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