Few arrests at Kilkee festival

While approximately 20 people were arrested in Kilkee last weekend, Kilkee Garda Sergeant Gerry Lernihan has described the number of incidents as “very minimal”. Up to 20,000 people visited the resort town for the third annual three-day Cois Fharraige music festival.

Although the number of people paying the price of a weekend festival ticket was significantly down on the 2008 figure, the local economy still received a late season boost as thousands of visitors headed to West Clare for the weekend, even if they didn’t actually attend the concert in St Senan’s GAA field.
“For the amount of people in Kilkee over the weekend, there were very few incidents and very few arrests,” Sergeant Lernihan told The Clare Champion on Wednesday.
A Cork man, who was reported missing in Kilkee on Sunday morning at around 1am, was found in his campsite, safe and well. The man had been swimming on the beach but his friends didn’t see him re-emerging from the water.
Kilkee gardaí, the Coastguard, Kilkee Search and Rescue, the Irish Coast Guard helicopter and the fire service all participated in the search.
“He was reported missing to us by his friends on the beach,” Sergeant Lernihan explained.
“He left his clothes on the beach. He went back to the campsite. We brought one of his friends up to the campsite and he was there,” the Kilkee-based sergeant added.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Kilkee Lily Marrinan-Sullivan has acknowledged that a significant amount of litter was strewn around Kilkee last weekend. However, the mayor insists that Clare County Council had taken sufficient steps to address the litter issue, while she felt that Kilkee business people were not as proactive.
“To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have a word said against the council. But I do think some of the businesses were remiss in not supplying bins themselves. I think there are lessons to be learned in that we need more bins for litter,” Mayor Marrinan-Sullivan said, before adding that a large amount of bottles were thrown on the streets and beach.
The mayor also suggested that people did not take individual responsibility for the amount of litter in Kilkee last weekend.
“Irish society has adopted the approach of ‘it’s up to other people to collect my litter’. All the bins in the world are not going to change that. I’m afraid there is nothing you can do about people who throw their rubbish around the place,” she said.
The annual Kilkee races will be held on the beach this weekend. First, though, litter and broken glass will have to be removed from the beach.
On a broader note, Mayor Marrinan-Sullivan believes that a local committee must be established to improve upon elements of Cois Fharraige.
“What we need to do is form a committee with MCD and Clare County Council. We have to sit down and work out what has worked out very well and see what the problems are,” she stated.