Late night drinking is being curtailed in Kilkenny amid efforts to address a growing public order problem in the city. Gardaí have successfully objected to pubs being granted extensions to 2am after a series of what they describe as "serious incidents" and increasing complaints from the public.
At last week's sitting of the District Court, Judge William Harnett ruled that closing time in Kilkenny should be no later than 1.30am.
Next week's Cat Laughs comedy festival, a key event in the city's tourist calendar, will be affected by the ruling but the 1.30am limit will apply on an ongoing basis unless appealed by the Kilkenny Vintners' Association.
Discussions are under way involving gardaí, publicans and council officials to deal with an issue that is tarnishing the city's image as a leading tourist destination.
During a recent debate on RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline programme, a Kilkenny taxi driver described his city as "the most dangerous" in Ireland. Other callers recounted violent and intimidating experiences while visiting and socialising in the city.
Kilkenny has acquired a reputation as one of the country's most popular venues for "stag and hen" parties. Margaret Tynan, a former Fine Gael mayor, told The Irish Times, "Kilkenny has deteriorated". While acknowledging that "Kilkenny has its own louts", she deplored the behaviour of "pathetic, brainless louts and stupid women coming off trains who pour into the city at weekends".
She claimed "there are not enough guards on the streets" and said "the judiciary are to blame" for not dealing more harshly with public order offences. But she is concerned that closing the pubs earlier may exacerbate the problem "as you will put them on the streets earlier".
She said "judges need to wake up and come and live in the real world" and called for "heavy fines" as a possible deterrent.
Declan Murphy of Fáilte Ireland said most visitors to the city enjoyed their stay and that the problems were caused by a small minority. "If people feel unsafe in Kilkenny, that is not a matter for Fáilte Ireland but a matter for the gardaí".