Shots of jam-packed parties emerged after Gardai smashed fully stocked shebeen...

The investigation is now ongoing after officials raided a “fully functional bar” at the illegal watering hole near Athy, Co Kildare at 8pm on Friday.

The grounds were furnished with a bar, stools, tables, chairs, a 70-inch flat-screen TV, and a large pool table.

There were several beer taps at the bar as well as a cooler under the bar and kegs.

There was also a smoking area, storage room and toilet on the premises. Bunting and sports flags adorned the interior.

Gardai confiscated five kegs of beer, a significant amount of spirits and bottled beers, and various bar equipment such as taps, gas and coolers.

Authorities learned of the suspected shebeen after a video posted on social media with dozens of people enjoying a song at the illegal premises.

The night owls, some in GAA tops, were in the crowded place and one partygoer was literally swinging from the rafters.

Authorities learned of the alleged shebeen through social media and later ransacked the premises.

A Garda spokesman said yesterday: “A Garda Siochana would call anyone with information about the operation of illegal shebeens to contact the local Garda station.

“The Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health crisis and An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to all citizens to adhere to public health guidelines and regulations in order to continue to save lives.”

Meanwhile, officials were on patrol yesterday when new Level 5 laws came into effect.

Units were in place to patrol the 3-mile (3-mile) travel zone and harsh new penalties that mean house party hosts face fines of up to € 2,500 and six months in prison.

New laws came into effect over the weekend allowing Gardai to punish people for house gatherings.

The public must also expect fines of up to € 500 if they exceed the travel limit of 5 km introduced as part of blocking measures.

The measures resulted in empty streets in cities across the country on the normally busy Saturday holidays.

It will take a few days for fines for other Covid-19 rule violations, including the lack of a mask, to go into effect.

It is believed that a person could be charged a 50 euro bill if they did not wear a mask under the new legislation.

During the six-week lockdown introduced on Thursday, more than 2,500 uniformed Gardai will be on duty every day.

In Ireland, according to the latest figures, another 859 cases of the coronavirus and four other deaths have occurred.

Yesterday at 2 p.m. there were 315 Covid-19 patients in the hospital, 37 of whom were in the intensive care unit.

The National Public Health Emergency Team said 16 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in the past 24 hours.

Of the most recent cases, 192 are in Dublin, 148 in Cork, 58 in Donegal, 55 in Galway, 54 in Meath and 352 cases are spread across the 21 remaining counties.

There are currently 56,108 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland and the death toll is 1,882.

Figures released Friday by the Irish National Statistical Office show that outbreaks in private homes account for 54% of the cases associated with an outbreak in the past four weeks. For the first time since the crisis began, the country’s accident rate exceeded 300 per 100,000 pandemic. But not everyone adhered to Level 5 restrictions.

And while few people showed up for an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin yesterday, protesters continued to express outrage over Ireland’s recent actions. Political efforts continued yesterday to reduce the negative household impact of the pandemic.

Yesterday President Michael D Higgins signed the residential
Lease Act 2020 and it is now becoming law.

The law extends the rental freeze and eviction ban, originally introduced during the first lockdown, through January.

And yesterday Taoiseach Micheal Martin urged everyone to stay strong for the next six weeks
Curfew.

He said, “As a country we will come through and there will be
many bumpy roads ahead. ”