Some 40 bales of straw on the farm of Tipperary tillage farmer and contractor Sean O’Reilly were set on fire on Wednesday night.

The fire, in a field cut last Sunday, was started at approximately midnight, on lands at Ballinree between Cashel and Cahir.

O’Reilly told the Irish Farmers Journal that for luck his wife spotted the blaze from their home, just 250 yards away.

“It was an awful fright. It was very near ESB lines as well. There are a few houses around with young families,” he said.

Lined up

The farmer had lined up the chopped bales for collection by a neighbouring farmer who had planned to feed them to cattle this winter through a diet feeder. Three trailer loads had been removed from the field already, thankfully.

“Someone came along and set them on fire,” he said.

O’Reilly acknowledged what he described as a “serious response” from emergency services, who arrived after he got his tractor and loader to try to separate the bales.

“The guards were here in 10 minutes and the fire brigade was quick behind them. They could see the blaze from just outside Cashel, five miles away. They didn’t even need an Eircode,” he said.

Cost

At €30/bale, O’Reilly estimates the financial loss of the 40 bales at around €1,200.

“It’s not even the price. It’s what the fire brigade will cost for the night. To think it would happen in this area. It’s horrible to see the likes of it.

“It was also such a waste to the emergency responses who have so much to deal with as it is. There is an ongoing investigation into this with the guards. Forensics have also been out all week,” he said.

The tillage farmer called on the people of Tipperary to aid the investigation and report those they suspect are responsible to Cashel (062-75840) or Cahir (052-744 5630) gardaí.