Car parks closed after weekend of total chaos
THOUSANDS of visitors flocked to Glendalough over the weekend, with many ignoring social distancing guidelines introduced to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Outdoor activities are now expected to be further curtailed as members of the public continue to ignore recommended precautions.
Wicklow County Council took the decision to close the Upper Lake car park at Glendalough on Sunday, while all food franchises at the location were also closed until further notice.
On Sunday, Gardai diverted traffic away from approach roads leading to Glendalough due to overcrowding. Access to the Sally Gap was also restricted from Annacarter Cross on one side of Luggala and from Boley Hourigan car park on the other side due to traffic volumes and careless parking. A number of badly parked cars were towed away in case emergency services needed access.
Pat Casey, owner of the Glendalough Hotel, which will remain closed until the crisis is under control, said the number of visitors descending on the popular hot-spot over the weekend was ‘frightening’, with some people still not taking the Government’s advice seriously.
‘ Things weren’t too bad to begin with but by 1 p.m. on Saturday things were completely out of control. There was a frightening number of people here - it must have been in the thousands. It was really bad. A lot of people don’t have anywhere but the country to go to. There are no sports, matches or family activities taking place. It wasn’t just Glendalough. Devil’s Glen was packed and so was Roundwood. You had nearly four miles of parked vehicles leading toward Turlough Hill. It would have been impossible for the emergency services to get through.’
On Sunday, the Gardai blocked access to the Glendalough Valley at the Wicklow Gap junction due to unprecedented visitor numbers and social distancing concerns.
Wicklow County Council also took the decision to close the Upper Car Park and food franchises located in Glendalough.
‘ The Council has taken this decision due to concerns regarding social distancing requirements. We regret the inconvenience caused and would ask members of the public to observe HSE guidelines as regards social distancing,’ stated the Local Authority.
It is understood that the Government plan to announce stricter measures regarding gatherings in public and open spaces due to the crowded scenes experienced at Glendalough and elsewhere over the weekend.
Deputy John Brady said it was ‘unbelievable’ that people were still ignoring health guidelines, such as social distancing and not meeting in groups.
Deputy Brady said: ‘I was contacted by a large number of people who expressed serious concerns about large numbers of people queuing at the food stalls in Glendalough.
‘People have been asked to socially space and avoid large gatherings. The reports about Glendalough are concerning. Given the request for people to play their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19, it’s unbelievable that some people are still not taking these requests seriously.’