The mayor of Killarney has condemned scenes of boisterous crowds in the town last night, calling them "disgraceful".
Footage of people drinking and singing on the street and not observing social distancing on Main Street was captured on video.
Some men are seen jumping on top of a telephone box containing the local defibrillator in the video.
At one point in the video, which has been widely shared on social media, a young man strips to his underpants as the audience cheers.
Partying men and women are seen drinking on both sides of the street, cheering at passing cars from crowded footpaths.
Local mayor, Cllr Brendan Cronin, this morning described such scenes as "disgraceful" and has asked gardaí to take a firmer approach.
"In a time when we cannot go to watch a football match, when weddings are being postponed along with other family occasions, the behaviour seen in our town last night was nothing short of showing two fingers to all those who have put in huge time and effort to make Killarney safe," he said.
Cllr Cronin said he sympathised with Killarney's first responders' voluntary group for the disrespect shown to the community defibrillator on Main Street.
"Those that decided to use the defibrillator box as their 'stage' last night need to publicly apologise for this lack of respect shown.
"I am calling on An Garda Síochána to step up their efforts to ensure that a similar large gathering like this does not happen again," Cllr Cronin said in a statement.
RTÉ News has spoken to the man who recorded footage of the large group of people gathered in Killarney last night.
He explained that he was collecting his son from work at around midnight when he filmed the footage. The man said that after around ten minutes, gardaí arrived and the crowd dispersed.
Local Independent Councillor and publican Niall O'Callaghan said that the vast majority of businesses in Killarney had worked very hard to create a safe environment.
"To see the video circulating last night is very disappointing, it is disheartening. You can't stand over it in any shape or form," Cllr O'Callaghan said.
Another Independent Councillor, Jackie Healy-Rae, took to Twitter and denounced the "crazy, irresponsible" scenes.
Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce said it was "very disappointed and upset by the antics and behaviour of a group of people who blatantly ignored social distancing requirements".
In a statement, it said the "overwhelming majority of people in Killarney and businesses in the town have adhered to public health guidelines" during the pandemic.
The Vintners' Federation of Ireland issued a statement calling for "the full force of the law to be applied to any pub found to be in breach of guidelines" following last night's scenes.
It added that "the exact nature of what occurred prior to the incidents that appeared on social media remains unclear", but it stressed that alcohol can only be served in pubs and restaurants along with a €9 meal and guests can only remain on the premises for 105 minutes.
The VFI said it supported the introduction of new legislation that will give gardaí the powers to close down businesses found to be in breach of the guidelines.
Asked about the street scenes, gardaí said they were aware of video material circulating, but could not comment on it.
They said: "An Garda Síochána is aware of a video circulating on social media highlighting the activities of a crowd gathered on a street in Killarney last night.
"An Garda Síochána does not comment on an extract of audio/video footage, the timeline and context of which cannot be determined."
Gardaí said that social distancing and similar public health guidelines are not penal provisions.
When responding to incidents, it said An Garda Síochána has "adopted a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent".
It continues to remind all citizens of their personal responsibility to comply with public health guidelines and regulations "in order to continue to save lives".
