Mayor faces death threats amid Christmas in Limerick plan
He claimed that previous closures of The Crescent, namely as part of the Summer in the City initiative, drew a large crowd and received support from most local businesses.
MAYOR John Moran has claimed he has received numerous death threats via social media following a proposed street closure in Limerick city.
At the October meeting of the Metropolitan District of Limerick, this Monday morning, the mayor of Limerick told the council chamber that he has “suffered a particularly tough week.”
He also stated that he will be in contact with the authorities to report these threats.
Comments on social media seen by Limerick Live include death threats and homophobic abuse directed towards the mayor.
One commenter wrote “I’m sure there’s assassin’s available”, while another said the mayor was “becoming more trump like every week,” before calling him a “smug f**got”.
It is understood that the Mayor has received a large amount of backlash over the proposal to close The Crescent area of O’Connell Avenue for six weeks for a ‘Georgian Fayre’, as part of Christmas in Limerick 2026.
Speaking during the meeting, following a roughly 90-minute discussion between councillors regarding Christmas in Limerick, Mayor John Moran defended the proposed closure.
He claimed that previous closures of The Crescent, namely as part of the Summer in the City initiative, drew a large crowd and received support from most local businesses.
Notably, he stated that original plans for the Georgian Fayre would have closed just one lane along the road. However, the meeting heard that members of the emergency services suggested closing both lanes.
Mr Moran acknowledged the ongoing public consultation regarding the closure, which has reportedly received over 400 submissions.
Earlier on in the meeting, Councillor Catherine Slattery also spoke of online abuse that she had been receiving.
She noted that while some councillors have reached out to support her, a number of them have not. Cllr Slattery suggested that these councillors should “practice what they preach”.
The Fianna Fáil councillor claimed that a large reason she has been “lambasted” online is the proposal to close The Crescent.
Cllr Slattery said she has had no say in the proposed closure, and the decision stems from “one person’s ego to close a road for six weeks.”