If you’ve ever been to Galway, you will no doubt have experienced the many artists, musicians and magicians that line the city’s cobbled streets. Galway City Council has just narrowly passed new by-laws which will regulate the use of amplification and drum kits in busking acts. Many of the city’s buskers, however, feel this goes against the spirit of busking. Who’s hitting the right note? Reporter Paddy O’Gorman took to the streets of the city of the Tribes to hear what people had to say. He joined Sean O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1 to report back on what he found.

Colm Powell, the owner of the Four Corners music shop on William Street, is in favour of the by-laws.

“They need restriction. They don't, very often, turn it down. If you ask them would you mind turning it down, they say, ‘I’m competing with the fella up the street’. We have to hear the same song…like The Fields of Athenry may be his big thing. And he’s going to do that 10 times in the day.”

One shop worker said she has been told to “mind your business” when requesting that acts turn down the volume.

“They’re good for tourism and everything like that, to come to Galway and see what kind of talent we have to offer but I have to say, working in the shop, the speakers can be quite loud and it’s very hard to hear customers some of the time.”

Georgia Ryan, from Claddagh and Celtic at the Spanish Arch thinks the bye-laws are a “terrible decision”.

“I think that Galway is famous for its buskers. I think that last weekend we had Ed Sheeran playing here and as everyone knows, there are photos of Ed Sheeran busking outside The Treasure Chest when he was young. And whenever any of the tourists come in from all over the world, they always compliment how lively the buskers make the place feel.”

Busker Cian O’Connell understands the desire for a limit on decibel levels but thinks that the city council have gone about it the wrong way.

“What we feel is we have our own Code of Conduct that if everyone adheres to it should be okay. I think most shop owners, most business owners would agree that it’s okay if everyone adheres to it and the issue is more that some people haven’t been adhering to it. But the bye-laws that have now been passed and are to be implemented in September are just a little bit too strict.”

Listen to the full discussion on Today with Sean O’Rourke here.