Dublin cancels new year celebrations over Covid

Dublin cancels new year celebrations over Covid

The impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt south of the border with news that Failte Ireland, in conjunction with Dublin City Council, has announced the cancellation of 2020’s planned New Year celebrations.

The popular three-day festival normally attracts around 110,000 people into Dublin, including 80,000 or so at the fireworks display on December 31.

In a statement this week, however, Failte Ireland said that because of these numbers, the event would not fall within current government public health guidance and that it would not be appropriate to encourage people to congregate in such numbers.

Belfast city does not hold New Year celebrations, but the news will come as a further blow to the hospitality sector in Dublin which has already had an indicative date for re-opening following the Covid-19 lockdown rescinded on four occasions.

Irish Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has said, however, that he is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the Dublin regulations are having the desired effect.