Drogheda town centre closed as Christmas lights collapse brings down debris and hits car
Drogheda’s town centre remains closed for a fourth day after a section of the Christmas lights collapsed on Friday, pulling masonry from an already unstable building at the Tholsel Crossroads and striking a passing car.
The incident, which happened during strong winds, brought down debris from the upper levels of the building at a busy pre-Christmas period. No one was injured, but the car sustained damage and emergency services immediately sealed off the area.
A structural inspection later confirmed that the building at the junction of West Street, Peter’s Street and Laurence’s Street remains in a dangerous condition. Engineers identified unstable elements at roof level on the fourth floor, along with loose masonry on the neighbouring property.
The exclusion zone has been widened, and the key crossroads has now remained shut since Friday afternoon, causing severe delays and diverting traffic through narrower parts of the town.
Businesses in the area reported a notable drop in footfall over the weekend, while bus routes were forced to divert and shoppers faced significant disruption during what should have been one of the busiest trading weekends of the year.
A few hours after the incident, Senator Alison Comyn confirmed that the Government had approved once-off funding for Louth County Council to fully restore the damaged lights. “After speaking with Ministers James Browne and John Cummins this evening, the Government has now confirmed once-off funding… ensuring our town gets its festive sparkle back as quickly and safely as possible,” she said. “I want to thank the Ministers for acting so swiftly, and our emergency services and council teams for their quick response earlier today. Drogheda’s Christmas spirit will be shining again very soon.”
The senator also acknowledged the strain on traders and the frustration felt locally, urging that the stabilisation works be completed as quickly as safety allows.
Louth County Council has said scaffolding and safety screening are due to be erected on Monday to allow contractors safe access to the upper levels of the affected structures. Once in place, protective measures will be added to allow the roads and footpaths beneath to reopen, though the council has not yet provided a timeframe.
Discussions are ongoing with the owners of the buildings involved, but the council has indicated it will intervene directly and recover costs if necessary. It stressed that public safety must remain the priority and that every effort will be made to minimise disruption and reopen the streets as soon as possible.