Gardaí in Co Kerry are investigating after footage of a sulky race on the main Cork to Killarney road was published online.
The race took place on Wednesday morning on the N22 Cork to Killarney road and featured horse-drawn carriages racing through traffic in and out of the hard shoulder.
Gardaí in Killarney have seized one horse which may have been involved in the race, bringing to three the number of horses impounded in Killarney in the past few days.
Supt Flor Murphy of Killarney Garda station appealed to anyone who may have dashcam footage of the incident to contact the station.
“We are investigating events surrounding a sulky race which we understand took place on the N22 at about 7am on Wednesday morning. We are satisfied this behaviour was witnessed by road users and we are appealing for witnesses and for dashcam footage,” the garda said.
A well as the racing with horses on a public roadway, gardaí were looking into a possible breach of road traffic laws by vehicles accompanying the racers, Supt Murphy added.
Footage of the race, which took place between Loo Bridge and Glenflesk village, was put up on Facebook and other social media platforms but was later taken down.
‘Absolutely disgusted’
Independent Killarney councillor Niall O’Callaghan said he was “absolutely disgusted” at the incident. “There was no regard for road safety – never mind Covid-19 and social distancing guidelines.”
The horses used the main road as well as the hard shoulder where people walk, he said.
As well as crossing over white lines on the roadway, the racers moved at speed around bends and narrowly avoided a bus.
Oncoming cars can be heard blowing their horns as the race reaches speeds of “32 miles an hour”, according to the commentary on the footage.
It is the latest episode involving horses in Killarney in recent days. Gardaí also received a report of a horse in the water in Ross Castle where a group of men were gathered and not observing social distancing. Footage of that incident was also posted on social media.
A horse was seized in the Ballyspillane area and taken to a Co Cork pound on Wednesday night after complaints were received that it was being driven around the area with a very young child in charge.