NAAS, 16 June 2002: by Trish Whelan. The lack of a Street Festival in Naas during the Punchestown Festival was criticised at a recent Naas Town Council meeting. Mayor Willie Callaghan said he had received many complaints over the demise of the Street Festival which had provided evening entertainment in the town.
He said it was ‘a disgrace’ that the pubs and restaurants were the only beneficiaries of Punchestown this year.
The Mayor said he had no problem with them making money but felt ‘they should have given something back to the people of Naas’.
He said it would only have cost them ‘a small amount of money’ to organise and he hoped they will take it on board for next year.
The fact that Ballymore Eustace - with less traders and publicans than Naas - had held a fireworks display was raised by Cllr Mary Glennon.
“We should put up our hands and say we will support it, but it’s not our function,” said the Mayor. He said the pubs and restaurants ‘had defeated their own purpose in the end as a lot of people didn’t bother coming into the town because there was nothing on’.
