SEVENTY-ONE vehicles were seized by gardaí in Co Kerry over the weekend during Killarney’s annual motor rally.
The Ordnance Survey of Ireland-sponsored rally, now in its 29th year, was attended by tens of thousands of people, including large numbers of so-called boy and girl racers in “souped-up” cars.
Gardaí confirmed yesterday they had seized the vehicles for a mix of road traffic offences, including not having a national car test (NCT) roadworthy certificate and failure to display a road tax disc.
Thirty-six people were arrested for public order offences. Twelve were arrested for drunk-driving and there were 13 arrests on foot of drug searches. There had been a heavy Garda presence including extra gardaí, a Garda helicopter and dog units over the weekend.
The rally on the roads of south Kerry through tourist beauty spots such as Moll’s Gap and west Cork over the May bank holiday weekend is the main event for the Ordnance Survey.
A spokesman said the Ordnance Survey, which also sponsors a rally in Co Donegal, was mainly involved in promoting outdoor events such as hill walking and adventure challenge.
However, the Killarney rally got its brand out in a way other events did not, he said.
There were mounds of glass bottles, cans and fast-food wrappings at several beauty spots on the national park route of the rally over the weekend.
Signs asking rally-goers to respect residents were erected on the N71, part of the Ring of Kerry route.
This and other roads through some of the area’s most famous beauty spots were closed for a number of hours on Saturday and Sunday to facilitate the event.
Increasingly, residents in Killarney complain of noise, huge traffic jams and disruption to the national park.
There is a belief in some quarters that despite the revenue which the rally brings to pubs, off-licences and fast-food outlets particularly, tourists seeking to spend the bank holiday weekend enjoying the tranquillity of the national park and Killarney are put off by the event.