'It’s making life very difficult for the residents': Carloads of people coming and going from Cork city centre amenity

THE Lord Mayor of Cork has implored people to stay the course of Covid-19 and not gather in large groups this Easter weekend.

His appeal followed deplorable scenes in the city on Thursday evening which saw droves of people congregating in beauty spots across the city.

Speaking to The Echo Councillor Joe Kavanagh said residents living near Bell’s Field at the top of Patrick's Hill contacted him with concerns about large gangs of youths gathering and drinking at the amenity. 

"According to one of the residents there were carloads of young people coming and going there all night last night," Mr Kavanagh said. 

"It’s making life very difficult for the residents and it’s making life very difficult for the gardaí.

"We’re at a very critical time in terms of Covid. The next three or four weeks are very important.

"There’s a very contagious variant of the Covid out there at the moment and the last thing we need to be doing is gathering in large numbers for any reason."

Hordes of youths gathering and drinking at Bell's Field has been an ongoing issue.

Just last week, one resident told The Echo that two wheelie bins were set on fire as crowds flocked to the park.

Mr Kavanagh said he has been liaising with the gardaí about this anti-social behaviour and said that gardaí intend to target Bell's Field over the Easter bank holiday weekend in response to the location's growing popularity.

"It is important that the gardaí put a concerted effort into intensely policing these areas and if there are any gatherings to break them up immediately and not let them grow because that’s what happens," he said. 

In response to the incident on Thursday at Bell's Field, a garda spokesperson said gardaí responded to "a number of reports of persons congregated at Bell’s Field".

"A number of youths had gathered in the area and were directed to move on. All complied with directions to leave the area."