Anger after firework is discharged at tourists in Limerick town

GARDAÍ have confirmed they are aware of reports that a firework was discharged at a bus transporting a group of elderly tourists in a County Limerick town.

The incident, which happened last Saturday evening, has angered local residents and businesspeople. 

A garda spokesperson confirmed they received a report of a number of youths discharging fireworks at Maiden Street, Newcastle West, at approximately 11:25pm on Saturday, September 30.

"Gardaí attended the scene and patrolled the area but the reported youths had dispersed on arrival of gardai," they told Limerick Live.

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Gearoid Whelan, owner of Whelan's Bar, Newcastle West took a video of the incident and shared it on the popular social media platform X (previously known as Twitter).

In the footage, a youth can be seen lighting a firework on the street before making a run for it. After travelling for around 100 metres the firework then goes off close to an elderly tourist and a bus which is stationary.

Last saturday night in the square in newcastlewest im embarrassed to say, the same little toerags that were involved in the halloween rampage of town last year. A bus load of people after visiting our town in their 60/70’s were attacked by this mob with fireworks. #timeforaction pic.twitter.com/61Gda63C5u

— Gearoid Whelan (@whelansbar1) October 3, 2023

Mr Whelan says he was one of the "many businesses and residents" who reported the incident to their local Newcastle West garda station.

"This sort of anti-social behaviour is going on every night in Newcastle West and it is affecting residents. I was getting ready to go home after closing up the bar and heard the fireworks. When I came out I was furious at the poor tourists. There were 42 people on that bus and Newcastle West will be the last place they will ever want to visit again. A firecracker hit an elderly man and he got back on the bus and the group got out of there as quickly as they could,” he said. 

The garda spokesperson noted that no offences were disclosed.