Awash with visitors: Gardai clear crowds from Kilkenny Waterfall as some sunseekers travel 50km for a dip

Gardai had to issue fines to move on the huge crowds that had gathered a popular Kilkenny tourist over the weekend where the vast majority were not adhering to social distancing.

Local residents contacted the gardai yesterday after the roads leading up to the Poulanassy Waterfall near Mullinavat were chock-a-block with cars making it difficult for any traffic to pass or for residents to get in or out.

For the second time in just over two weeks, the picturesque waterhole was overrun with people using it to cool down in the sweltering heat.

On arriving gardai soon found that many of the people present had travelled from far outside the 5km limit on travel, with some again driving more than 50km just to go for a dip.

A statement released by Kilkenny Gardai said: “With the continuation of the hot spell of weather Gardaí in Mooncoin encountered and received numerous complaints from local people in relation to the volume of people attending at Poulanassy Waterfall in Clonassey, Mullinavat.

“A large proportion of people attending were from outside the recommended 5km limit currently advised under #Covid19 restrictions, some people travelling up to 50kms.

“In line with advised protocols Garda members engaged and encouraged all people who were not permitted to be present, to leave the area,” they said.

Gardai had to issue numerous parking fines on the road outside the Waterfall where parking had become a serious issue

“Another issue is the parking of cars near the entrance to the waterfall,” the statement said,

“The road is a narrow country road and because of the parking of vehicles on it, traffic is being prevented from passing up or down especially agricultural machinery.

“Fixed charge penalties have been issued,” the statement concluded.

An Garda Síochána are reminding people not to make non-essential journeys at this time and the gardai would like to remind the public while some regulations have been eased there is still a 5km travel and exercise limit.