Nightly scourge of fireworks in Kilkenny 'has gotten really out of hand'

Residents in several parts of Kilkenny City and Callan are calling on the authorities to take action to bring an end to anti-social behaviour and nightly fireworks.

In the Lakeside area, teenagers are congregating on the pitch of a local school late into the night while fireworks are being set off in the surrounding estates. It has also been an issue in the city centre.

Locals say they have now reached their wits’ end and are appealing for combative measures to be introduced.

One resident and business owner, Aisling Doyle, told Kilkenny Live that despite the community repeatedly highlighting their concerns, no effective measures have been taken.

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"We believe urgent steps must be taken before someone is seriously injured,” she said, stating that they have already written to Kilkenny County Council, local gardaí, councillors, and the school demanding immediate action.

"It’s going on every year now, but fireworks are being let off earlier and earlier now and I would say it started in the middle of August," she said.

"It wasn’t as frequent then but now it’s starting at around 5pm in the evening,” the owner of Wag and Walk Kilkenny explained.

"I’ve been here the last eight years and I would say the last three years it’s gotten really, really out of hand. It’s not just someone letting them off in the back garden, they are being set off from different locations on a given night."

The youths have also been spotted throwing fireworks from Lintown to the nearby Lakeside estate, which residents fear may have dangerous consequences if continued.

"When I was a teenager I broke all the rules. Like my mother would kill me but throwing fireworks across the road is so dangerous. Someone’s going to get hurt," said Ms Doyle.

"I understand that there’s not going to be one thing and that we can solve it overnight. But we definitely need more patrols, local pitches need to be secured and more firework enforcement is needed.

"I see great stuff going up on the guards’ Facebook page about checkpoints for drugs, which is great, we need that but there’s nothing really about fireworks except around Hallowe’en. Maybe the scaremongering needs to start now to remind people that they’re illegal and it’s an offence to carry them," she continued.

Ms Doyle, who operates a dog training business from her home, has not only had her social life impacted, with her business also suffering the consequences.

"I’ve had to ring a client the other evening and say, look, your dog is fine, she’s safe with me, but the training we’ve done now for the last two weeks that you’ve paid me for is probably somewhat undone because she’s so terrified. It’s just not okay.

"There is an element of anger, of course I try not to be but of course it’s going to be there," she continued, adding, "for other small businesses it could be the breaking of them."

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