Roses are being stolen from the garden synonymous with the Rose of Tralee Festival which begins next week. Thieves sneak into the garden at night and clip the best blooms from the thousands of rose bushes.
The mayor of Tralee, Mr Terry O'Brien, has appealed to the public to contact gardaí with any information. The theft of the roses has been taking place regularly over the past month and has now become visible, threatening to damage the displays.
Local people who use the park especially to view the roses were particularly upset and several elderly residents had contacted the mayor to put a stop to it, he said. Mr O'Brien described the thefts as "blackguarding". He was appealing to people's good nature not to damage the garden at the heart of Tralee. Mr Brendan Enright, who has tended the roses for 25 years said a significant number of the budding roses were being stolen and it was "a serious matter of concern" to gardeners.
The roses had been slowly disappearing over the past month, he said. The thefts were also taking place in daylight. One person told gardeners that she saw a woman leaving the rose garden with a bunch of yellow roses last week.
There are almost 10,000 rose bushes in the garden dedicated to the late Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, which has become a back-drop for photographs of Roses during the festival.
The garden was established in the 1980s with advice from horticulturist Mr Don Nolan who continues to provide assistance free of charge.
Gardaí are investigating and have appealed for information at 066 7122022.