Sectarian vandals who are making life a living hell for Church of Ireland parishioners in Brian Cowen's hometown were roundly condemned by the Taoiseach this weekend.

St Brigid's church in Clara, Co Offaly was built in 1770 and its beautiful surrounds have been subject to numerous acts of vandalism over the years but recent developments have been described as sinister by local Rector Rev Gerald Field.

In the latest incident vandals broke into the church and daubed pro-IRA slogans in the service register and smashed a headstone in the church grounds.

"The attacks on St Brigid's church are to be condemned and are completely at odds with the community spirit in the town.

"That all premises deserve respect goes without saying, but attacks of this nature represent a particular low,'' Cowen told the Sunday Tribune.

He continued: "Anyone involved in such attacks must desist from this appalling behaviour and if there are those who have knowledge of who is carrying out these attacks, they should bring these details to the immediate attention of the gardaí."

Field says those responsible are in the minority but that the latest incident is disturbing. "It's been going on for years. Certainly in the last five or six years it's been getting progressively worse.

"I would hope it's not sectarian and I would be very saddened if it was because we have a very good relationship with the other church communities in the area.

"Right across the religious tradition there is disgust at what has happened.

"But it all depends how much you read into it. The last time the church was attacked a few weeks ago was actually the first time they went inside the church itself. Previously it's been the vestry that has been targeted and ransacked." he said

"Hymn books, prayer book leaflets – we have little bags with colouring pencils for children at the back of church – they were strewn all over the place. That's a bit sinister as it's the first time
they went inside the church itself. If they ransack the vestry you could say they were looking for money but this time they wrote in the service register the word
'IRA'.

"Now it could be kids but it's upsetting as we are a small Church of Ireland community comprising of just 20 families at most in the area,'' said Field.