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IRISH school teacher and newspaper columnist Breda O’Brien was arrested shortly after 1pm today in a school field in Dungarvan, County Waterford after attempting to set a ballot box on fire.

Gardai were called to the scene after the 53-year-old allegedly stole the ballot box before running outside with a can of what witnesses claim was petrol.

“I just spotted some woman running with a canister in one hand and clutching rosary beads in the other,” one eyewitness said. “She was reciting decades of the rosary and hissed at people as she jumped the queue and started tugging at the box.”

Several adjudicators were injured as the self-confessed No campaigner yanked the box from its secure location.

“Next thing I remember she roundhouse kicked one of the voting guys in the face,” said one woman. “I have never seen anyone so crazy like that. She kept shouting “this is for the children, this is for the children’ and was holding up a crucifix like a shield.”

“We followed her out the door, but she legged it before we could grab her.”

Fortunately a Garda patrol unit was in close proximity manning a water meter installation and gave chase through the school sports field.

Following a tense standoff with Gardai and members of the public, Mrs. O’Brien reportedly doused the ballot box in petrol but was stopped just in time, before being arrested and taken to Dungarvan Garda station. She was later released without charge.