Locals in Crookhaven in West Cork, believe the event was organised on social media. They said most were boys, aged between 15 and 17, and are students of well-known “middle-class Cork City secondary schools”.

Cork County Council was still cleaning up yesterday after several locals collected almost 30 bags of rubbish from a beach where the teens set up an illegal campsite.

Dermot O’Sullivan, who runs the landmark O’Sullivans pub on the pier in Crookhaven, said the weekend’s events had shocked locals and visitors alike, and had ruined the village’s regatta weekend.

He said locals will do everything in their power to ensure the village is never “invaded” like that again.

“I’m sure that in small groups, these teenagers are lovely people,” he said. “But collectively they were a total disgrace, totally and utterly.

“They were a complete disgrace to teenagers, to their families and to their schools.

“They left the place like a bomb site.

“And the message must go out loud and clear that they are now completely and utterly unwelcome.”

The huge group partied in and around the normally quiet village until dawn on Saturday. Trouble flared again on Saturday night.

While there was no violence, gardaí had to call in reinforcements from surrounding areas to restore order given the sheer volume of people involved.

The teenagers began arriving in the village on Friday night, laden with bags full of alcohol. Some were dropped off by their parents.

Up to 200 drunken teens 'invaded' a quiet West #Cork village & left this mess behind. See tomorrow's .@irishexaminer pic.twitter.com/7xNcpOeXio — Eoin English (@EoinBearla) August 10, 2015

They took over nearby Galley Cove beach and set up a makeshift campsite.

Mr O’Sullivan said there were reports that some of those involved had engaged in similar behaviour in Derrynane some weekends ago.

Schull-based Cllr Michael Collins said it soon became clear that they were out to cause mayhem and trouble.

“People who love Crookhaven come down here for a peaceful holiday,” he said.

“But these guys were mindless. They scared local residents and our tourists.

“We alerted the relevant authorities and the gardaí worked very hard to keep control of the situation.

“Crookhaven wasn’t ready for this. It was like Glastonbury or Electric Picnic, or something like that.

“Young people are welcome to visit but not in the way these guys carried on.”

It was not clear last night whether there were any arrests.

The teenagers, who began leaving on Sunday, abandoned tents and clothes, and left the beach and environs strewn with hundreds of beer cans and bottles.

Mr O’Sullivan said he made his feelings known to some of the parents who arrived to collect their children.

“These guys will never ever be welcome here again,” he said.

UPDATE

Several teenagers who were among a group of up to 200 teens who ran riot in a Cork seaside village at the weekend have defended their behaviour.

Some have even vowed to return to Crookhaven again next year and do it all again.

They took to Twitter overnight and this morning after the Irish Examiner first reported the story.

Here’s a sample of their reaction.