Organisers of a “meet-up” attended by hundreds of car enthusiasts in Salthill, Co Galway, last Sunday have said they will postpone another event planned for the area this weekend to allow for engagement with local councillors.
Vehicles descending on the Salthill promenade last Sunday caused huge delays to traffic and many locals were said to have felt “intimidated” by some of the behaviour on display.
The group behind the event, part of a series it has organised under the banner “Salthill Sundays”, posted on social media on Wednesday that its weekly events at Salthill would “not be stopping . . . until we get what all car enthusiasts want, which is a venue that will accommodate us all without your pettiness and complaints . . . Don’t forget to have your cars clean for this Sunday.” As of early evening on Thursday the group’s public social media channels had continued to suggest the events would proceed.
However, when approached by The Irish Times, a spokesman for the organisers said its events have been postponed so the team can meet with local councillors.
“Certainly we did not expect that many people to come join us in Salthill . . . It wasn’t something we were speculating,” he said, adding that they have tried to engage with local gardaí and the local council. For the distress caused to locals, the spokesman said the “only thing we can say is sorry”.
‘Another magnitude’
Last Sunday was the fourth weekend that a "Salthill Sunday" took place along the seafront, but the most recent gathering was of "another order of magnitude", according to local Green Party councillor Niall Murphy.
Mr Murphy said it was the first time he has been unable to cycle through the area due to fears he could be bumped off his bike.
“A lot of the behaviour was a bit unacceptable,” he said.
Salthill councillor Clodagh Higgins said many local residents felt "intimidated" and were afraid to leave their homes on Sunday due to the convoy of "souped-up" cars attending the event. Some drivers were purposely backfiring so clouds of smoke and fumes were released from their vehicles, while some "hurled" rubbish out their vehicle windows, the Fine Gael representative said.
“Businesses suffered greatly, with restaurants reporting orders cancelled due to collections not being possible in the traffic and disruption,” she added.
Galway city councillor John Connolly said many locals have complained to him about the high noise levels, driving speeds and immense traffic from the event.
"There certainly were unsavoury elements to it . . . It would be fair to say a lot of people would prefer it if it didn't go ahead," he said. The Fianna Fáil councillor said the policing plan in place last weekend was not sufficient for the numbers that showed up for the event.
Policing issue
A spokesman for Galway City Council said it considers the matter to be a policing issue, but he said the council will assist gardaí in any way necessary if future events proceed. A meeting to discuss the policing of these events if they are held is to be held between local councillors and gardaí on Friday.
A Garda spokeswoman said gardaí in Galway and Salthill continue to monitor situations such as the car meet-up that took place last Sunday. Policing plans are in place and the force is reminding drivers they are open to prosecution if found in breach of any road traffic regulations or other criminal legislation.
"An Garda Síochána continues to remind drivers to stay safe on the roads and to be respectful of all road users. We would also ask drivers to show respect for local residents and to keep noise down at all times," the spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman pointed to Covid-19 regulations which stipulate the ongoing public health guidelines, including that no more than 15 people can attend organised outdoor events.
