GARDAÍ DISPERSED A large crowd from Burrow Beach for the second time in two days after receiving reports of a public order incident yesterday evening.

Uniform Gardaí from the Raheny District and the Public Order Unit attended Burrow Beach in Sutton, Co Dublin, yesterday evening.

A garda spokesperson said a “presence was maintained until large crowds that had gathered there for much of the day had dispersed safely”.

No arrests were made and the garda spokesperson added that “gardaí from the Raheny District will continue to conduct high-visibility patrols in the area across the summer months as part of Operation Irene”.

It was the second public order incident in as many days, after gardaí were called to what was described by a local councillor as a “mass brawl” on Sunday.

No arrests were made in relation to Sunday’s incident and enquiries are ongoing.

Speaking on yesterday’s Morning Ireland in relation to Sunday’s incident, Labour Councillor Brian McDonagh said: “It looked like a mass brawl, and this can and does happen unfortunately, every year in a different location.”

McDonagh added that there have been “increasing problems (at the beach) over the past few years”.

He said these “increasing problems” were caused by overcrowding at the beach and anti-social behaviour.

He added that the anti-social behaviour is “predominantly related to alcohol on the beaches”.

McDonagh yesterday called for the “aggressive seizure of alcohol on beaches”.

He also called on gardaí to ensure that “on those very busy days that we try and have a mechanism where there are more guards there and they’re policing it as if it was an event of a similar size”.

McDonagh explained: “If you had a concert or a street festival or something with that many people (as were on the beach Sunday), you would have dedicated gardaí resources to it.

“I know the gardaí have been proactive, we have been working with them, and the response seems reasonably quick.”

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to either incident to contact them at Raheny Garda Station on 01 666 4300, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.