FOOTAGE OF large crowds of young revellers partying in the centre of Killarney has been branded “disgraceful” by the town’s mayor.
Several videos shared on social media in the past 24 hours revealed a throng of people gathered drinking and singing on Main Street this past Saturday, August 29th.
Few, if any, in attendance were obeying Ireland’s strict social distincing rules where there was a distinct lack of face masks.
Men and women can be seen drinking on both sides of the street, blocking off cars and throwing discarded rubbish.
At one point, a man also strips to his underpants and climbs on top of a telephone box housing a defibrillator.
Commenting on the footage, Killarney mayor and Independent Cllr Brendan Cronin called on gardaí to take a firmer approach to stop a repeat of the scenes witnessed.
He slammed the behaviour of those involved for “showing two fingers” to those who have sacrificed so much during the pandemic.
“In a time when we cannot go to watch a football match, when weddings are being postponed along with other family occasions being put on hold, the behaviour seen in our town last night was nothing short of showing two fingers to all those who have put in huge time and effort to make Killarney safe,” the mayor said.
He highlighted the incredible work the majority of the public and local business owners alike have done in ensuring the number of new cases of Covid-19 have remained low.
142 cases yesterday including cases in Kerry. With this sort of behaviour in Killarney last night you wonder how long we go before we are sent back into lockdown? #COVID pic.twitter.com/1mzC2bbpJe
— Jerry O'Sullivan (@jerosullivanRK) August 30, 2020
In these instances, individuals put adhering to restrictions above personal preferences.
Cllr Cronin also expressed dismay at the disrespect shown to the Killarney first-responders voluntary group in the treatment of the the community defibrillator facilities seen in the video.
“Those that decided to use the defibrillator box as their 'stage' last night need to publicly apologise for this lack of respect shown,” he said in his statement.
"I am calling on An Garda Siochana to step up their efforts to ensure that a similar large gather like this does not happen again.”
Gardaí have yet to comment.
