Crowds gather in Cork city again on Sunday night
Kennedy Quay is one of a number of spots around the city that have become popular for socialising when weather allows.
Crowds gathered in parts of the city to socialise for a second day running on Sunday, as Cork basked in some of the nicest weather seen so far this year.
Gardaí said groups of people gathered in Kennedy Quay and other areas of the city last night but told RedFM news they dispersed easily.
This comes after 12 people were arrested in the city on Saturday for public order offences.
“Current public health regulations only put limits on the numbers attending organised events," a Garda spokesperson said on Sunday of Saturday's gatherings.
"Uniformed Gardaí with the assistance of the Public Order Unit dispersed a crowd at the city centre and, later in the evening, the Kennedy Quay and Grand Parade areas.”
Crowds also gathered for a second night in a row in Dublin city centre.
Gardaí cleared large numbers of people from St Stephen’s Green, and confiscated alcohol.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan earlier hit out at scenes of “enormous crowds” gathered in the capital on Saturday night, Dr Holohan said it was what the country “does not need” after making so much progress pushing down cases of Covid-19.
On Sunday night, there were again large numbers of people in the city centre.
Dr Holohan said he had driven into the city centre to collect someone from work at 8.15pm on Saturday, and was “absolutely shocked” by what he had seen.
“Drove into Dublin City Centre to collect someone from work at 815 PM. Absolutely shocked at scenes in South Great George’s St, Exchequer St, South William St area,” he tweeted.
“Enormous crowds – like a major open air party.
“This is what we do not need when we have made so much progress.”
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he shared the concerns voiced by the chief medical officer, but understood that people have had a “tough few months”.
“The weather is good and I would rather see people outdoors than indoors,” he told RTÉ Radio’s This Week programme.
A Garda spokesperson said a policing operation was in place in respect of the current public health regulations which limit the numbers attending organised events.
They said a crowd in the South William Street area was dispersed and four people were arrested for public order offences.
Crowds in the Temple Bar and St Stephen’s Green areas were also dispersed by Gardai.
Mr Varadkar also suggested that local lockdowns remain an option for Government in the event of a future surge of cases of the virus.
He conceded that previous localised lockdowns had had “mixed results”, but added that he hoped such measures would not be needed.
Coronavirus regulations remain in place across Ireland, however the country is looking forward to imminent relaxations.
From June 2, hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering accommodation will be able to reopen as well as outdoor service in bars and restaurants, cinemas and theatres.
On Friday night Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that while the end of the pandemic was “within our grasp”, he urged the public to “remain vigilant against the terrible virus”.
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