About 60 people arrested in Donegal after thousands gather for rally

Two special court sittings held in Letterkenny due to incidents arising out of weekend

More than half of these arrests were made for public order incidents. Photograph: Alan Betson
More than half of these arrests were made for public order incidents. Photograph: Alan Betson

A total of 60 arrests have been made as tens of thousands of people gathered for the Donegal International Rally.

Two special court sittings have been held in Letterkenny by Judge Ciaran Liddy to deal with incidents arising out of the weekend.

About 12 people have been charged following the arrests. Six of those charged appeared in court on Sunday.

More than half of these arrests were made for public order incidents.

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Up to 20,000 people have converged on the rally which proves a huge money-spinner for local businesses, especially those in and around Letterkenny.

The Garda Air Support Unit, backed up by additional motorbike gardaí, were out and about on the streets of the town since Friday morning when the three-day event began.

Many locals complained of traffic gridlock in the town with some claiming to have been stuck for more than an hour in their cars even for short journeys.

The opening day of the event on Friday resulted in 18 people being arrested with 10 of those resulting from public order incidents.

Other offences on Friday were for crime and six more for road traffic incidents.

A further 42 people were arrested over Saturday.

Twenty of these were for breaches of public order while 11 were for intoxicated driving.

There have been three arrests for assault incidents and a further three arrests for drugs offences.

The event officially finishes on Sunday evening but many of those who attended the event will not depart the town until Monday.