Gardaí have confirmed they made over 100 arrests around the county over the course of the rally weekend.
However, this number was considered low as thousands of motorsport enthusiasts converged in the area for the annual event. The vast majority of arrests were for minor offences.
Overall, there were 103 arrests around the entire county between Thursday and Monday. The vast majority of these (81), however, were in the Letterkenny District.
Garda Sergeant Eunan Walsh said it was an extremely busy five-day period with a number of other major events, including Sea Sessions in Bundoran and the Amateur Golf Open at Ballyliffin.
“There were arrests across the Division over the course of the weekend but the most noticeable number of arrests were within the Letterkenny District as it drew in the bulk of the crowds, as it does every year,” Sgt Walsh said.
He added the rally drew massive crowds into the county, most especially into Letterkenny Town. An extensive Policing Operation was in Place for the event – the public order units were out on patrol each night. Traffic Corps members were also on patrol and were operating checkpoints and speed checks. Garda motorcyclists were out patrolling and regular uniformed garda members were out on the beat and were conducting patrols as well as responding to regular calls.
Between Friday (June 21st) and Monday morning (June 24th), the following arrests were made within the Letterkenny District:
Drink driving – 9 arrests
Drug Driving – 13 arrests
Dangerous Driving – 6 arrests
Public Order – 50 arrests
Drugs offences – 3 arrests
Fraud – 1 arrest
Assault – 1 arrest
Domestic related – 1 arrest
A number of bench warrants were also executed.
Sgt Walsh noted that the dangerous driving arrests were ‘significantly low’ and thanked everybody who came to Donegal at the weekend who complied with the law.
“The vast majority of the visitors to the county were a pleasure to deal with,” he stressed.
“But as always, there is a cohort of people who arrive every year for rally weekend with no intention of abiding by any rules and, in fact, they go out of their way to cause trouble. Thankfully these people are in the minority, however, and a good number of them have been brought before special sittings of the District Court over the course of the weekend. We are pleased that no major incidents occurred on or off the roads over the course of the weekend.”
The following is a breakdown of the most significant stats for the entire county over the weekend:
– 19 Drug Detections
– 66 Public Order incidents
– 34 vehicles were seized
– 31 Dangerous Driving Incidents
– 13 Drink Drivers/ 18 Drug Drivers
– 13 Assaults
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