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New by laws will act as 'quality filter' for buskers in Killarney

Late, loud and low-quality performances have caused a rift between Killarney buskers and local bu...
Mairead Maguire
Mairead Maguire

15.46 30 Sep 2022


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New by laws will act as 'quali...

New by laws will act as 'quality filter' for buskers in Killarney

Mairead Maguire
Mairead Maguire

15.46 30 Sep 2022


Share this article


Late, loud and low-quality performances have caused a rift between Killarney buskers and local businesses.

The poor quality of some street performers has even caused pubs and restaurants to put speakers outside their doors to drown buskers out.

New street performer by laws will be introduced in Killarney at the beginning of October.

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The decision to implement more regulation around the practice is long awaited according to County Councillors .

"That is not appropriate behaviour."

Councillor for Killarney Niall Kelleher hopes the new laws will encourage a higher standard of busking.

He told Lunchtime Live that he's seen late night busking become an issue in the town, with loud amplification and poor quality performances negatively affecting residents and workers.

"The streets of Killarney can be busy until very very late at night and obviously that is an attraction to somebody continuing on at night", he said.

"That is not appropriate behaviour for people to be disturbing people who are trying to get to sleep or put kids to sleep."

"Town centre living is something that is in Killarney."

Businesses

Business owners in Killarney are also eager to see the introduction of the new rules.

Peter Cox, who owns an art gallery in the town, says he likes buskers but he thinks the town would be improved "if the council had the power to say ' listen you can busk here but you have to do it within these hours, you can't go above a certain volume'."

"Even if there was some sort of a permitting system where there was a quality filter", he said.

"Busking is about creating an ambiance."

"It's about having good quality buskers that are at a reasonable volume."

Main image shows Main Street, Killarney, County Kerry.


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