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Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland
Offaly

Gardaí investigating after man entered hotel room of schoolgirls on trip for National Ploughing Championships

Around 60 teenage girls from a Tipperary school were at the hotel.

GARDAÍ IN OFFALY are investigating an incident in which a man made his way into a hotel room where a number of underage girls working at the National Ploughing Championships were staying. 

The girls, who were all from St Mary’s Secondary School in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, were working at the ploughing in Screggan, Offaly, as part of their transition year work experience.

A number of students from the all-girls school were staying at a hotel just outside of Moate in Westmeath. 

At about 1am Thursday, a man entered one of the rooms where the girls were staying. 

It is not yet known how the man was able to enter the room but the girls raised the alarm when they realised he was there. Gardaí have confirmed that they are “investigating an incident at a hotel near Moate, Co Westmeath at 1am on 20 September”.

It is also understood that the school’s Board of Management is now investigating the incident and is due to meet later in the week to discuss what happened. 

All the parents of the children have been informed. 

St Mary’s said it could not comment as investigations are ongoing.