https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/history/gardai-ask-crowds-disperse-large-19283857Gardai ask crowds to disperse as large groups gather with drink in Cork City centrePart of the city centre was compared to "Magaluf Strip" on social mediaBy Joe O'Shea Editor
12:02, 15 NOV 2020 UPDATED15:06, 15 NOV 2020
NEWS
Gardai moved quickly to deal with large groups of people gathering in Cork City centre last night amid concerns over breaches of Level 5 restrictions.
Crowds were seen on the Grand Parade, on the Coal Quay, around Patrick Street and in some cases - gathered close to pubs selling "take out" pints and hot drinks.
Several hundred people were on the boardwalk by the Nano Nagle bridge off the Grand Parade at around 9pm last night.
And Gardai told CorkBeo this morning that officers moved in to direct the crowds to disperse.
A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí responded to reports of a large gathering of people on South Mall, Cork City, yesterday evening".
"Gardaí attended the scene and requested all persons to disperse. Gardaí maintained a presence in the area. No breaches of regulations were detected."
"A number of patrols were conducted in the area over the course of the evening."
It was the second Saturday night in a row that large crowds have been seen in spots around the city centre. Many in the crowds have been bringing their own drink to the streets, to gather and meet friends.
Posts to social media from people who witnessed the crowds included concerns about the public health implications of large-scale breaches of Level 5 restrictions on gatherings.
One poster compared the scenes on the South Mall to the "Magaluf Strip" while others raised the prospect of a "curfew" for Cork City centre at the weekend, such as the 10pm curfew brought in across city centres in the UK to deal with night-time gatherings.
There are also public hygiene concerns as there are currently no functioning public toilets in the entire city centre and as pubs and cafes remain closed - many of the laneways and streets around the city centre have been left in a very unhygienic state this morning.
Prominent Cork publican Benny McCabe, who owns two large pubs on Cornmarket Street, told CorkBeo that while he was aware that there were crowds in the public areas along the Boardwalk at the Grand Parade end of the South Mall, the area around his pubs, which were doing a limited takeaway service until 9pm, saw no issues or problems for the Gardai.
"We had our own security men, there were no incidents or problems and I was there myself to see that," Mr McCabe told CorkBeo.
"We did stop our take-away service at 9pm and I believe that most if not all other pubs doing a similar service did as well - we would not go beyond that time and we would not operate without our own security there," he said.]
The well-known Cork publican said the few fellow bar-owners across the city who were operating a take-out service were doing it on a very limited basis and taking all the precautions they could.
The Gardai have been asked to enforce temporary restrictions brought in on October 22nd that are designed to police Level 5 breaches and behavior that could pose a threat to the public health.
A Garda spokesperson told CorkBeo this morning: "In supporting the COVID-19 public health guidelines and regulations, An Garda Síochána has and will continue to adopt, a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent.
"This has seen Garda members engage, explain, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce.
"The COVID-19 Pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to all citizens to comply with Public Health Guidelines and Regulations, in particular essential journeys, in order to continue to save lives."