Crowd watches youths in graveyard bare-knuckle bout

A BARE-KNUCKLE fight between two youths in a Limerick graveyard was watched by a crowd of nearly 20 teenagers.

The incident is the latest in ongoing anti-social behaviour at St Michael’s graveyard, located near the city centre.

The fight took place on Monday. Nearby residents are already increasingly concerned at young people gathering there for sex and to take drugs.

Over recent months headstones have been overturned and cars parked in nearby car parks have had rocks smashed through their windows.

Limerick Civic Trust has carried out major restoration work at the cemetery.

The director of the trust, James Ring, said they were frustrated at the actions of teenagers in the cemetery.

A team of civic trust workers carry out regular clean-up visits there, though the trust is not responsible for the upkeep of the area.

One person who carries out work at the graveyard said: “This happens any time schools are off. They are drinking, fornicating, breaking up headstones and doing damage all around them. Cars have been damaged, windows broken. It seems that no one is effectively responsible for the site.

“The gardaí talked to the kids but it made no difference.”

Members of the Watergate Resident Association have carried out daily clean-ups at St Michael’s graveyard as part of the Tidy Towns competition.