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Ross Duffy

Locals angered after teenagers leave tents, faeces and used condoms in park after 'festival'

“When we started to walk down into it, we began to see human waste scattered around the dunes.”

AN “UNOFFICIAL FESTIVAL” which saw up to 60 teenagers descend on a Kerry beach has been slammed as “carnage”.

Camping is against the rules at Derrynane Historic National Park, but a group of teenagers engaged in what has been described as a “three-day rave”.

Photos taken after the weekend show human faeces, used condoms, tents and other debris left in the park, which is home to the Daniel O’Connell Museum.

The party, which spanned the weekend, has been reported to gardaí and led to anger among locals, who set up a Facebook page to highlight the dumping (the page includes some photos of the more graphic debris).

Derrynane resident Ross Duffy, who started the page, told Radio Kerry that the aftermath looked “like Glastonbury”.

It looked like the remnants of a festival – something you’d see at Glastonbury or Electric Picnic. Tents strewn everywhere, tents ripped open.

“Beer cans and bottles and bottles were spread out over around 100 metres.

And when we started to walk down into it, we began to see human waste scattered around the dunes.

Just last week, the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Kevin “Boxer” Moran, visited Derrynane House to raise a Green Flag awarded for “parks that are managed in environmentally sustainable ways”.

ID

image002 Tents left on the dunes. Ross Duffy Ross Duffy

Among the rubbish left behind were gym memberships, receipts and even a list of people who had paid to take a private bus to the site. Locals say that they have passed these names on to gardaí.

Locals who volunteered to clean up the rubbish said they were “ashamed”.

“I’ve met a group of French surfers and a group of Dutch walkers already this morning, they were just gazing at this carnage in shock, they asked me ‘how is this allowed happen’, I had no answer for them, I was just horrified and got to work picking up trash and dismantling tents.”

Another volunteer stated, “I went into that section of the dunes over there to pick-up empty cans and bottles but I realised it was used a toilet, there is human waste everywhere, I started vomiting and had to leave the area, who are these kids, what’s wrong with them?”

A statement from the OPW, which runs the site, said:

The Office of Public Works is aware of the anti-social behaviour, littering, etc. that occurred on Derrynane Dunes over the Bank Holiday weekend. The Office of Public Works is working closely with Kerry County Council and An Garda Síochána to address the matter and the actions required.

Norma Moriarty, a local Fianna Fáil councillor, said that the issue comes up every year at the site.

“It’s happened a couple of years in a row, but this can’t be allowed to go on.

“We welcome tourism of all kinds, we survive on tourism, but you have to respect the places you travel to. There is no excuse for what happened.

“Respect our place when you come here. If these people wish to camp, the best quality caravan parks are available to them.”

image008 This part of the makeshift campsite was used as a toilet. Ross Duffy Ross Duffy

Kerry County Council said it had no function in the maintenance of the site.

An Garda Síochána did not respond to a query asking if the complaints were being pursued.

Read: ‘There’s a lack of civic respect’ – Call for an end to illegal dumping

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104 Comments
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    Mute John003
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:08 PM

    Nice to live long but only in good health…..People are living now typically into their 90′s but often the last decade is in bad heath and house bound….

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    Mute Niccolo Saccho
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:09 PM

    @John003:
    Bad diet and too much alcohol.
    No moderation in things anymore.

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    Mute kevinhunt101
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:20 PM

    @Niccolo Saccho: or just dementia quite often. Most older people have eaten quite healthy as the range of crap around today simply didn’t exist back when they were younger. Convenience food etc didn’t exist. You just eat your meat veg and potatoes

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    Mute Jim
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:38 PM

    Isn’t it crazy to think that the entire world’s population has been replaced since he was born. Imagine knowing that there isn’t a single person still living on this planet, who was around when you were born.
    And as for the experiences he has had, the things he has lived through, and seen from 1900s til now. What a guy! RIP.

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    Mute Philip Mckenna
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:36 PM

    Apparently his mother and father are heartbroken.

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    Mute The Dublinist
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    Jan 30th 2018, 4:50 PM

    If only we could all live that long…..

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    Mute Gillian Scully
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:01 PM

    @The Dublinist: Only if you are fit and have your own mind. Dreadful otherwise.

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    Mute Peadar Ó Gréacháin
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:05 PM

    @The Dublinist: I don’t think I could handle your comments for that length of time…..

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    Mute The Dublinist
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:47 PM

    @Peadar Ó Gréacháin: Thanks very much.

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    Mute marg fitzgerald
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:53 PM

    @The Dublinist: the government wouldn’t want the pension bill

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    Mute Maggie O'Connor
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:14 PM

    He had a good innings all the same.. (never understood that comment)

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    Mute Paul J. Redmond
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    Jan 30th 2018, 8:07 PM

    @Maggie O’Connor: Cricket!!

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    Mute Paul J. Redmond
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    Jan 30th 2018, 8:07 PM

    @Maggie O’Connor: Still cricket…

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    Mute Fabio Dillon
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:24 PM

    The Spanish would do anything for a day off. The most work shy Western Europeans.

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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Jan 30th 2018, 7:08 PM

    @Fabio Dillon: and the longest living; there may be something in that too..

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    Mute John's Voyage
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    Jan 30th 2018, 7:29 PM

    @Fabio Dillon: Only fools and horses work.

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    Mute Philip Farrelly
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    Jan 30th 2018, 4:52 PM

    Man not well

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    Mute Maggie O'Connor
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:15 PM

    @Philip Farrelly: he’s not not well he’s dead.

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    Mute mark kelly
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    Jan 30th 2018, 5:54 PM

    Now that was witty Phil..

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    Mute Pauliebhoy
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    Jan 30th 2018, 6:19 PM

    Was it Billy Connolly who said something along the lines of, “They say jogging every day adds an extra 10 years to your life, what they don’t say is the extra 10 years come when you’re stuck in a bed and pi**ing yourself”?

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    Mute Tony Hickey
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    Jan 30th 2018, 9:07 PM

    Every oldest person must be cursed with bad luck – they never hold the title for long

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    Mute Billy Walsh
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    Jan 30th 2018, 7:33 PM

    Was his passing sudden?

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