Residents want family-friendly Halloween celebration — not a ‘thug fest’

FOR the past six years the people of Larchville and Lisduggan in Waterford city have campaigned to upgrade the greens and the streets of their area.

For this reason, more than 90% of the residents voted against Halloween bonfires. Last year the bonfires and flagon-drinking started at 11am on Wednesday and didn’t end until the early hours of Friday morning. After bonfire-related assaults, one girl ended up in intensive care at Ardkeen and another lad was rushed to intensive care in Cork. Two playing fields were destroyed. Many residents were upset and fearful for their safety. The cost of the clean-up, hospital treatments, court cases and imprisonments came to more than €750,000. The inaction of the gardaí and city council allowed this to happen.

For a fraction of the cost, Derry city council is holding a Halloween festival this year.

They’re expecting 30,000 people for a drink-free, family-friendly, Sproi-type celebration of our Celtic culture. It will generate thousands in tourism. It’s the template Waterford city council should follow. The Larchville and Lisduggan residents would like to know why the gardaí and city council allow a two-day ‘thug fest’ with violence, vomit, drunkenness, pollution and public disorder in our community?

John Hearne

Chairman

Larchville-Lisduggan

Resident’s Association

Larchville

Waterford