Anger after Malin Head’s Banba's Crown used ‘like a racetrack’

An Inishowen county councillor has hit out at boy racers, whose idiotic antics are putting lives at risk and destroying road surfaces here.

Cllr Martin McDermott was speaking after locals complained of motorists in “souped-up cars” performing “doughnuts” at scenic Malin Head on St Patrick’s Day. 

A number of people expressed concern about how the road near Banba’s Crown was being used “like a racetrack”, while others worried about the impact on terrified animals and wildlife in the area of natural beauty.Cllr McDermott says there have been far too many incidents of reckless driving occurring across Inishowen of late.

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“Unfortunately a bit of that has been going on over the last while.  It happened at Malin Head on St Patrick’s Day but there’s been quite a bit of it going on in Carndonagh and around Malin as well over the past number of weeks and months.”

“People have been doing doughnuts, particularly at certain corners, in Malin Head at the crossroads and at the Tower and different places. In Malin too, at the parochial hall and other junctions, at the Doctor’s Bridge and places like that.”The Glengad Fianna Fáil man has condemned the anti-social behaviour on our roads - and he wants to see an increased Garda presence to deal with it.

“We definitely want to condemn this kind of stuff. The Council puts a lot of effort into trying to keep our roads in as good a condition as we can - and that type of stuff, particularly at junctions, really damages the road and causes lots of problems.”

“We really need to nip that out as much as we can - and I hope that the guards would be more visible on the ground when these types of things are going on.”

‘Like a racetrack’

Meanwhile, local business owner Philip McFadden, who highlighted the incident involving “petrol heads” at Malin Head on St Patrick’s Day, has described it as “totally disgraceful”. Mr McFadden posted an online video showing the clear damage and circular doughnut marks on the roadway.

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“What were they at? Why did they disrespect the people of Malin Head like that?” he asks.“A load of cars came down to Banba’s Crown.

They drove up the road like it was a racetrack in souped-up cars and then they performed doughnuts at a junction. You would have heard them in hell, they were so loud. There were sheep running scared in every direction during lambing season.”Philip says tourists are “very welcome in Malin Head” but dangerous drivers are certainly not.“Please do not do this in Malin Head. It’s disgraceful,” he added.