BREAKING: Decision taken on the closure of area in Limerick city to cars for festive event

PLANS to close a section of O'Connell Street for three Sundays in December have been abandoned after an outcry from local traders.

Limerick City and County Council had advertised its intention to close an area of The Crescent around the Daniel O'Connell Monument and fountain to motorised vehicles for Christmas-related activities in the run up to Christmas.

The area was set to be cordoned off on Sundays, December 8, December 15 and December 22.

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At a council meeting this week, the chair of the Limerick City Centre Traders Association pleaded with local authority bosses not to go through with the measure.

Caroline Long said: "I want to say on behalf of the traders: it is detrimental to have the Crescent closed on shopping days. We have very few shopping days left until Christmas.”

It would have been the second time the stretch of road has been closed this year, after it was cordoned off during the month of August at the behest of Mayor John Moran.

Members of the public had the chance to have their say to the council up to last Tuesday, and a decision was made based on the feedback received.

Ms Long said: “We cannot understand the sense of it. We would plead with you not to do that to us. Not at our busiest time of the year. People will just think, part of that (street) is closed, I’ll go to the Crescent Shopping Centre instead. We are fighting the Crescent Shopping Centre all the time, but this is putting another obstacle in our way and for what really?”

Now, in an email sent to council members this Friday, engineer John Gannon confirmed The Crescent will be closed for just one Sunday - the final one before Christmas on December 22.

It's understood a festive event is planned for the area on that day, the details of which are expected to be confirmed in the days to come.