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To: The Irish Government and the Office of Public Works (OPW), which manages Phoenix Park, have the authority to restrict or prohibit large festivals and commercial events in parks that are important wildlife habitats.
Keep Parks for Nature, Not Festivals
I am calling on the Irish Government to stop allowing large festivals and commercial events in parks that are home to wildlife, including Phoenix Park, St Anne’s Park, the National Botanic Gardens, and other important green spaces across Ireland.
Parks are meant to be places for nature, wildlife, and the public to enjoy peaceful outdoor spaces. If the goal is to hold festivals in natural surroundings, there are many other locations that do not have such large populations of wild animals.
Phoenix Park is home to hundreds of deer, as well as foxes, birds, and many other species. These animals cannot simply leave when a major event takes over their habitat. Their home is disrupted by noise, crowds, traffic, construction, and the overall scale of these events.
The reality is that wildlife in these parks already faces significant pressure from roads, traffic, and human activity. I have personally reported deer accidents in Phoenix Park on several occasions. More effort should be going into protecting these animals rather than creating additional disturbances for commercial events.
Last year’s large festival in Phoenix Park highlighted the scale of the issue. Huge amounts of money and resources were spent closing off large sections of the park, despite the fact that there is a zoo nearby and a significant wildlife population throughout the area. The impact on animals should be taken far more seriously.
Animals cannot speak for themselves. They cannot vote, protest, or ask for protection. They rely on us to make responsible decisions on their behalf. We should be asking ourselves how we would feel if our homes were repeatedly disrupted by noise, crowds, and construction with nowhere else to go.
These animals were here before many of these events existed. Their welfare should not come second to commercial interests. I believe Ireland can celebrate music, culture, and community without sacrificing the wellbeing of wildlife.
Our parks should remain places of nature, conservation, and peace for future generations.
Why is this important?
This is important because public parks are some of the last remaining shared natural habitats in our cities and towns, and they play a vital role in protecting wildlife.
Parks like Phoenix Park are not empty spaces. They are living ecosystems with deer, foxes, birds, and many other species that depend on them to survive. When large festivals and commercial events are held there, the noise, crowds, traffic, fencing, and construction can seriously disturb these animals in their own habitat.
Wildlife cannot move elsewhere when their home is taken over. They experience stress, disruption, and increased risk, especially in areas where roads and human activity already create danger, such as traffic accidents involving deer.
This issue is important because it is about responsibility and balance. We should be able to celebrate culture and host events without causing unnecessary harm to animals and natural spaces. There are alternative venues that do not require disrupting wildlife habitats.
Protecting these parks now ensures that future generations can continue to experience nature in an urban environment, rather than losing it bit by bit to commercial use.
How it will be delivered
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