Killarney rector says rally ‘harmful to town’

Donal Hickey, Kerry

The Rev Stan Evans pointed to the huge amount of littering and bad publicity for a premier tourist area arising from more than 50 arrests, mainly for public order offences, last weekend. Most of the arrests were on Saturday night.

The rally is a massive crowd-puller and generates estimated spending of E25 million, with hotels, restaurants, pubs, takeaway food outlets and accommodation providers being the main beneficiaries.

But, the Rev Evans, rector at St Mary's Church of Ireland, said there was an intimidatory atmosphere" and some people were even afraid to go to church because of what happened on Saturday night.

He claimed some drivers not those competing in the rally were totally

irresponsible and treated roads as if they were speed tracks such as Brands Hatch, or Silverstone. "We're lucky there wasn't some major smash, or that somebody didn't get killed," he said.

Stressing that he appreciated the needs of the commercial sector and that Killarney should be promoted as a place to be enjoyed by everybody, the Rev Evans said it was time Killarney gave "very, very careful" consideration to the rally.

"The long-term economic benefit could be destroyed. I would hate to see Killarney becoming a place where people go at weekends and tear up the place, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces," he commented.

He said the grounds of his town centre church were treated like a rubbish tip and bottles lobbed at its windows.

Gardaí said the rally was well organised and the problems were largely caused by some people not directly involved in the event.