Madam, - I write regarding the appalling incidents which occurred in Kells, Co Meath around 8.30 to 9pm on Halloween. Yobs in the fields between the Oldcastle and Cavan Roads launched fireworks at the houses on the Cavan Road. The first exploded in the middle of the road, creating a ball of fire - by the grace of God, no vehicle was passing at the time. Others followed exploding nearer to the houses. Many residents' immediate reaction was that their houses were on fire. It seemed to me that the yobs were "finding the range" as with a warship targeting an enemy ship. As far as I am concerned, if any person had died as a result of his car or house being hit in this manner, it would be murder.
For too long Irish society has allowed and indeed encouraged its children to act as selfish, ignorant prats for the entire month of October (the media refer casually to Halloween "revelry" and "celebrations"). The results of this problem include: incessant banging, distress caused to people, especially the elderly, the sick and the dying (who surely deserve better in their final hours on earth), tragic injuries, incessant barking from terrified dogs, unnecessary calls for gardaí and fire brigades on the "busiest night of the year", pollution caused by tyres and God knows what else being thrown on the infernal bonfires, the sheer waste of public money - it costs Dublin City Council alone over €1 million to "clean up" after Halloween.
I am calling on the politicians to earn part of their pay rise by having new fireworks legislation in place for next year. This would be designed to (inter alia):
(a) deny children access to fireworks;
(b) impose heavy penalties including full payment of medical bills of those injured by fireworks by those responsible (or their parents where appropriate);
(c) provide extra manpower and resources to gardaí and give them a clear mandate to stamp out the worst features of this noise and disorder fest.
Or will the politicians wait until someone is actually killed by Halloween hooligans? - Yours, etc,
GERARD MURPHY, Kells, Co Meath.