SLANE 2009 Oasis - All Discussion - No ticket sales.

Silverfox

Hey I have no interest in offending anyone, feel free to edit if you like.

pipandtink

Silverfox wrote: »

Hey I have no interest in offending anyone, feel free to edit if you like.

Hiya Silverfox... I wasnt meaning you... sorry for the confusion.....

Silverfox

pipandtink wrote: »

Hiya Silverfox... I wasnt meaning you... sorry for the confusion.....

Actually I was talking to Lordgoat but I certainly didn't mean to offend you either!

pipandtink

Silverfox wrote: »

Actually I was talking to Lordgoat but I certainly didn't mean to offend you either!

lololololol!;)

lordgoat

No more Hillsborough talk.

pipandtink

lordgoat wrote: »

No more Hillsborough talk.

good plan .... nothing is ever the right thing to say.......

columok

In a general sense if there had have been any kind of push during the Stalingrad-esque :pac: forest march then there would have been significant injuries with little or no ability for medical staff to get to people and little or no ability for stewards (not particularily alert anyway) to communicate to the appropriate people. I can't see how this is up for debate.

pipandtink

columok wrote: »

In a general sense if there had have been any kind of push during the Stalingrad-esque :pac: forest march then there would have been significant injuries with little or no ability for medical staff to get to people and little or no ability for stewards (not particularily alert anyway) to communicate to the appropriate people. I can't see how this is up for debate.

we saw the steward filming people falling over - particularly drunk morons ... then about 6/7 stewards made their way through the back of the metal fences (the forest area) to get to them ...... also saw several stretchers carrying people to the first aid base.

windsurfer99ie

mspacman wrote: »

Bahahaha - you corrected someone else's grammar but made a spelling mistake in your own post!!!! LOLS!!!!!!

What a dull a colourless world you inhabit mspacman - never having herd of irony !

p.s. I too made at least one deliberate spelling mistake in my post. That is called irony.

windsurfer99ie

On a more positive note, I am very sympathetic to all the people who had such horrendous experiences.

I had a friend travelling over from England for the gig and didn't want to screw up. So not having been to Slane before, I checked out this thread a few days before the event and took the advice of many early posters and we travelled up on the Friday and stayed at the campsite. We visited Drogheda and Newgrange on the Friday, and gained immediate entry to the venue on the Saturday around 3pm after a few beers at the tent and a short walk.

We are both well into our 40s and it was the best concert that either of us has ever attended.

We both want to thank all the people who took the trouble to post information about the campsite on this thread because you helped make our weekend so special.

AlekSmart

With the honourable exception of the Honourable Henry Mountcharles we are still awaiting anybody in a position of Authority re Slane 2009 to make a Public Admission that things went dangerously wrong.

I feel that the current mood of the "Official" agencies is one of batten-down-the-hatches and wait for it to blow over.

As other posters remark,the planning process for an event such as Slane is long winded and exhaustive.
It is that way for a reason,however as Last Saturday`s events have shown,all of the planning ion the world won`t count for a hill`o beans if there is NO co-ordinated effective management on-the-ground.

I have not revised my opinion that Slane 2009 began to go wrong in the early afternoon (My observations are solely based upon the N2 Dublin route).

The lack of Gardai,particularly Traffic Corps units was probably the first aspect I noticed on my downward journey.

As we crept closer I also noticed significantly fewer Floodlighting arrays than in previous years.

Even the high crush barriers usually put in place outside private residences were less in evidence than before.

I marked these down at the time (14.00 Sat) as worrying in the context of a pitch dark return journey,as the 3 items taken together represent,for me,a minimum level of safety required for ME to carry out my job effectively in such circumstances.

It is to the discredit of Bus Atha Cliath`s senior management that they did not appear to express any such concerns AT THIS POINT IN TIME (14.00 Sat)

Teresa1984 writes....

If we are encouraged to use a service, and discouraged from driving ourselves, the least we can expect is to get our money's worth. Ok whilst things can happen and we have to accept that, the way we were treated by the Dublin Bus drivers was inexcusable. And I have yet to hear any of them apologize for the shambles they created. Fair enough you might miscalculate by a few buses, but EIGHTY!!!!!!!!! A private company doing this would never get hired again for doing something as stupid and unprofessional as this.

Reading the above post saddens me,as I was one of several hundred Dublin Bus drivers whose sole task was to drive their vehicles and deliver their passengers to the appointed destination.

I can assure Terasa 1984 that I know of only a handful of incidents of unpleasantness between Busdrivers and Concert Goers,mostly drink related.

NONE of the Dublin Bus Drivers were consulted in any way,shape or form as to the actual arrangements on-the-day.

In fact I feel that the Dublin Bus Slane 2009 drivers deserve an apology from their senior management for the manner in which they were essentially left to flounder in a totally UNECESSARY chaoitic shambles.

Shabbah makes some telling points here.....

There was absolutely NO organisation done in relation to parking for the buses, and/or directing people to buses afterwards..... where the buses would turn etc., and I think the whole event needed MORE staff (security/stewards etc) who were equipped with knowledge of what was happening, when and where...... and willing to pass on directions/information to the punters/bus drivers if and when they needed it.

Absolutely 200% Pure Truth.

The lack of Stewards and Gardai was very apparent from the earliest stages.
With many Slane gig`s behind me I could not believe the situation I found at the official End-Of-The-Bus-Line.

Here,after disembarking what passengers remained on board the Busdrivers were presented with a VERY restricted Turning Circle.

Given that we drive Long Wheelbase Double Deck vehicles and in many cases at Slane 2009,Tri-Axle vehicles,the VERY MINIMUM I require for SAFE operation is a segrated and unimpeded Turning Point.

BrianD raises the point too....

It's also up to the bus company to work out the Qing system and all the operational matters which, I understand take place, outside the venue.

Unlike previous years when sufficient Garda manpower was on hand to keep such an area clear,2009 saw us expected to perform the turn about in the midst of a sea of intoxicated,excited,and in some cases, destructive individuals.

What Dublin Bus supervisory staff who were on station there had NO Authority whatever to marshall or instruct concert goers which left drivers esentially on their own as they attempted to turn.(Remember this is the PUBLIC Roadway)

This Terminus location ranks as THE Number One issue in the entire Transport Plan.
Get This location and it`s layout correct and you have the back of the problem well and truly broken.

It is ALL about Access and the ability to Turn About rapidly.....Michael O Leary of Ryanair is spot-on when he flags that issue as a core of Ryanair operations.

Nowhere was this single element more needed than at Slane 09.

Allowing High-Capacity buses to disgorge their passengers onto the narrow N2 well in advance of the Terminus contributed greatly to the mindset which allowed the Night Time debacle to occur,as it sowed the seed of indecision in the minds of the Bus Passengers as to exactly where they would get the return buses.

Now I also happen to find Suzieb`s post VERY illuminating....

Hoping one of the Mods can change the link to the Garda Traffic Division on the first page?

I just got a rather curt reply from them saying they are the Dublin Division and don't deal with this area.

The proper address is Drogheda_DV@garda.ie (hope this is ok to post here).

On another note I seem to be the first person thats got a reply from them on Boards anyway so I am hoping more people that are online complaining about issues with management etc on Saturday take the time to mail them.

Suzie

That sounds like damage limitation mode well and truly engaged.

There would appear to be some internal issues at play within the Gardai as to the method of Policing Slane as compared to previous years.
From scraps of overheard conversations I got an impression that quite a few Gardai were not fully engaged with the policing of the event and I do think this problem might have become more obvious as the evening wore on.

It should also be understood that whilst Dublin Bus would have mounted the biggest operation,it was far from the ONLY Public Transport operator servicing the gig.

The private coach and bus sector normally deploy an eclectic mix of vehicles and staff for Slane and 2009 was no different.
All of the Big-Name privates were represented and having spoken with a few non-Dublin-Bus drivers it seems that many of these fared no better.

It`s an interesting point vis-a-vis the Working Time Directive that the Self-Employed owner driver is exempt from the provisions of the Working Time leglislation and in the case of Slane they certainly needed that exemption!!

Dr Oatker sez....

You would imagine that past experience would have given them an idea but they obviously got it wrong, and it must have been an issue getting extra drivers at short notice otherwise people wouldn't have been left sitting on the side of the road for hours.

This is very true,and past experience counts for a lot.

Dublin Bus DID have sufficient vehicles and drivers to meet the demand.

However,having the vehicles and the staff is one thing BUT being allowed to deploy them effectively and efficiently is a totally different matter and one which is NOT in the gift of Dublin Bus alone.

With the current Company Flavour of The Month being Health and Safety in all of its manifestations,it should actually encourage Dublin Bus Senior Management to hear that many Drivers were seriously concerned in relation to the manner in which they were expected to simply disregard much of the bumph and H&S paraphernailia that they have been subjected to in recent times.

Dublin Bus Drivers in all locations are now subjected to a VERY rigerous Health & Safety programme which can and does involve the company using it`s disciplinary and grievance procedures to administer it`s policy.

Such policies,however can be double edged swords,so it should therefore not be too surprising if Dublin Bus drivers seek a far greater role in the planning and management of events such as Slane.

As many of my colleagues have pointed out following Slane 09,if there is a serious accident then its the DRIVERS own licence,welfare and livelyhood thats on-the-line.

Dublin Bus senior management must DEMAND the active co-operation of the Local Authority and the Gardai in facilitating the Mass Transport operation....IF that is not forthcoming then it should walk-away rather than expose it`s employees and customers to the dangers all too apparent on Saturday.

Apologies for the length of my post,but I`m trying to cover as many bases as I can......having said that I`d be more of an AC/DC man than a Gallagher Brothers admirer !! :eek: ( Roll on Punchestown )

Red Sleeping Beauty

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iQECPWbVHO4sfNQcTfsjVgzu-f4w
Slane gig capacity 'not breached'
1 day ago

Concert promoters MCD insisted the 80,000 capacity was not breached at this year's Slane Castle gig.

Disgruntled fans flooded internet message boards and radio phone-ins complaining about massive transport delays, hour-long queues and alleged overcrowding at the Oasis headlined concert.

MCD accepted there were delays going into the venue as almost a quarter of concert-goers arrived on Dublin Bus. But the firm said: "Overall the 80,000 fans who attended were extremely well behaved however there will always be a small number of individuals who engage in anti-social behaviour which is totally unacceptable. Attendance and capacity for the event was 80,000 which has been the capacity for standing concerts at the venue for the last 20 years."

Lord Henry admits to 'serious problems' with Slane gig



Tuesday June 23 2009

THE organisers of the controversial Oasis concert at Slane have admitted there were problems and say they will work to prevent a repeat at future gigs at the famous venue.

The owner of Slane Castle also acknowledged yesterday there were "serious problems" at Saturday's event.

As concert-goers claimed they feared for their safety at the 80,000-capacity venue, Lord Henry Mountcharles pledged to address the issues raised.

Promoter MCD has also asked anyone with complaints to get in touch directly by email at contact@mcd.ie.

All the problems highlighted by fans will be looked at -- including transport, queues for bars, and access to the venue -- at a debriefing meeting to be held in the coming weeks.

MCD, Lord Mountcharles, Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann, and the gardai will attend the meeting; but it is understood that there will be no fans' representatives present.

Their stories continued to emerge yesterday with some telling how they waited in ditches in the cold to get home, while others told how they witnessed serious assaults and drug busts in the VIP area.

Others experienced overcrowding and some crushing, while one woman fan was kicked in the face.

MCD maintained that attendance and capacity at the concert was 80,000, amid claims that more had gained entry without having their tickets checked. They said ticket scanning checks were suspended for about 30 minutes shortly after 6.35pm at one entrance to ease queues and a build-up of people through the forest laneway.

"However, at the same time the gate behind them at the bridge entrance was closed thus ensuring that no one could enter the system knowing that ticket scanning had been temporarily suspended."

Serious

"All the issues raised above will be immediately addressed at the post-event debrief meeting and changes will be implemented as required for future Slane concerts," MCD said.

Lord Mountcharles said there were "serious problems" with transport which "have to be looked into".

He admitted that there were problems at the Dublin entrance and said a comprehensive review would be carried out by the organisers and the gardai. He also acknowledged on RTE's 'Liveline' that he was aware of incidents taking place in the VIP area -- where celebrities mingled with customers who paid premium prices -- which was situated in front of the castle. However, he declined to comment any further when contacted by the Irish Independent last night.

Dublin Bus continued to come in for flak from disgruntled customers, with complaints of six-hour bus journeys. After saying on Sunday that they had everyone out of Slane by 2am, Dublin Bus said yesterday that buses "were unfortunately delayed en route to the city due to traffic volumes".

Terry Fahy from East Wall said he saw a teenager fall in between buses while having a fit -- and no one came to his aid.

He also said that people were "ushered like cattle" around the venue. "When we left the concert we headed out on a country road and headed for two miles," he said. "We passed about 50 buses and a crowd of us asked what the story was. We were told to sit in a ditch and there were more buses from Navan on the way.

"We had to sit in the ditch at the side of the road in the freezing cold. In between two buses we saw a young lad fall, crack his head and have a fit."

Mr Fahy said that the only people who helped were an off-duty nurse and the teenager's friends.

Another man, who did not wish to be named, paid tribute to the gardai who helped break up a fight and seized drugs in the VIP area.

The man, who described the concert as "pretty brutal", said he saw a punter being brought away with his "face burst open".

However, Noel Gallagher from Oasis said on his blog that he had had a "great night".

"As spectacles go (and I don't mean the ones you wear) Slane Castle takes some beating," he said.

- Fiach Kelly

The meeting between Slane owner, MCD, Gardai and Dublin Bus sounds interesting but it's a shame there's no one representing the "punter".

Get your complaints in early folks. Written letters would probably be better.
Don't forget what happened with the Barbra Streisand fiasco.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/mcds-knuckles-rapped-over-streisand-shambles-1062976.html
http://www.consumerassociation.ie/press200807.html
http://www.mcd.ie/home/fn.php?c=1450379&ar=barbrastreisand

Mental Mickey

There's only one way for people to show their anger at MCD......boycott future gigs.

BaZmO*

Mental Mickey wrote: »

There's only one way for people to show their anger at MCD......boycott future gigs.

That will never happen unfortunately, so the next best thing is to complain to the relevant people.

Mental Mickey

BaZmO* wrote: »

That will never happen unfortunately, so the next best thing is to complain to the relevant people.

They might learn their lesson if, say, only 50% of tickets for an event is sold.....??

Complaining to the relevant people is a long, and utterly fruitless task. Believe me, I've been there!

TRIPLEP

Had a great day, Oasis and the Prodigy top form as always!!

But it was badly organised no matter how you look at it. We all came expecting delays but what we got was unacceptable.

I was at an outstanding concert only the previous Saturday which also hosted 80,000 people, I'm sure you can all guess what it was - my music taste ranges widely!! but it was excellently organised, I went to the bar and had a drink within 10-15 mins tops, could go to the bathroom when I needed to and granted there was a little bit of waiting afterwards for transport home but thats to be expected TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

It is possible to organise an event for 80,000 people where you can get a god damn drink when you want one - and call me whatever for being happier with a pint in my hand and say its not necessary to enjoy the concert but it's part of the day for a lot of people - hence the queues at the bar!! It was disgracefully organised

but what a concert

BaZmO*

Mental Mickey wrote: »

They might learn their lesson if, say, only 50% of tickets for an event is sold.....??

Complaining to the relevant people is a long, and utterly fruitless task. Believe me, I've been there!

Ah don't get me wrong, I agree with what you're saying but my point is that Irish people won't boycott these events.

I've mentioned this before but a few years back Neil Young was touring and he was charging a phenomenal amount for a ticket to his shows. In Germany they boycotted his shows because the tickets were deemed too expensive and he had to cancel the shows.
What happened in Ireland? The gigs sold out in 5 mins.

Personally I don't go to Slane anymore because of the hassle involved. I was offered a free ticket on Saturday but declined because I knew it would be a nightmare getting home unless I left a good bit before the gig ended. But I was really surprised to hear there was difficulties getting into the place.

As for the complaining, most times it is fruitless (or at least it seems that way) but if enough people kick up enough of a fuss things do change. Oxegen is proof of that.

Bluetonic

TRIPLEP wrote: »

I was at an outstanding concert only the previous Saturday which also hosted 80,000 people, I'm sure you can all guess what it was - my music taste ranges widely!! but it was excellently organised, I went to the bar and had a drink within 10-15 mins tops, could go to the bathroom when I needed to and granted there was a little bit of waiting afterwards for transport home but thats to be expected TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

For the love of God how can you compare a concert run in a purpose built 80,000 capacity sports stadium in the center of a capital city to concert in a field in the country.

really reilly

complaining to m.c.d wont make a difference people cause nobody will boycott it next year and they no that

TRIPLEP

Bluetonic wrote: »

For the love of God how can you compare a concert run in a purpose built 80,000 capacity sports stadium in the center of a capital city to concert in a field in the country.

What does it matter when it come to bar and toilet facilities where it is situated?? you either have the staff and the amenities or you don't. Slane has been hosting concerts for long enough to know what to expect.

Off the point I know but as for a guarantee of no over crowding??!! biggest joke ive ever heard, my ticket was glanced at ONCE, never scanned, never torn etc. how the hell was there any sort of crowd control!

squonk

Mental Mickey wrote: »

They might learn their lesson if, say, only 50% of tickets for an event is sold.....??

Yes but that will never happen, as a case in point, I went on Saturday with one of my friends who was very annoyed with the organisation, so annoyed in fact that she has put her money where her mouth is and has set up a Facebook group with information for people on who to complain to and sample letters etc. She's also posted to this thread so, in general, we're talking about a very pissed off and pro-active lady here!

Now the clincher... will she be back next year.. Yes, she says she will be if the band is good. That's the problem! That's why people like MCD never, ever lose. Sadly people who are into the music will always want to go and see decent bands. MCD and their cronies are only interested in the business end and leech off of punters.

It boils down to the simple problem that MCD and Aiken are the only games in town. You can't stop missing your favourite artists because you don't like the promoters, and you won't, and you'd be right not to. The people who went through the Streissand fiasco were able to get their points across and get heard, but there is such a preconeption of events like Slane/Oxegen being big and messy anyway that it makes it harder to hear the message from the general static. I would also dare to generalise and say that an Oxegen/Slare crowd would be prepared to put up with an awful lot more hassle straigh off than some of the Strissand audience.

Sadly, I think the only way the powers that be are going to start really listening to coplaints like all those on this thread is when there's a serious incident or even a fatality, or fatalities. That post project meeting between the AGS, MCD, and all the other Slane stakeholders will be for nothing without a representative from the paying public, which isn't happening. One incident or fatality is one too many, especially when there's no need for it.

Surely it's also time for Henry Mountcharles to look at upgrading his estate to cater for the event? Putting in a decent walkway rather than that narrow path would help a great deal. It's a beautiful estate but as the event is now established on the Irish music calendar, that it's time to start treating Slane as a serious venue, and not a quaint setting.

Mental Mickey

squonk wrote: »

Yes but that will never happen, as a case in point, I went on Saturday with one of my friends who was very annoyed with the organisation, so annoyed in fact that she has put her money where her mouth is and has set up a Facebook group with information for people on who to complain to and sample letters etc. She's also posted to this thread so, in general, we're talking about a very pissed off and pro-active lady here!

Now the clincher... will she be back next year.. Yes, she says she will be if the band is good. That's the problem! That's why people like MCD never, ever lose. Sadly people who are into the music will always want to go and see decent bands. MCD and their cronies are only interested in the business end and leech off of punters.

It boils down to the simple problem that MCD and Aiken are the only games in town. You can't stop missing your favourite artists because you don't like the promoters, and you won't, and you'd be right not to. The people who went through the Streissand fiasco were able to get their points across and get heard, but there is such a preconeption of events like Slane/Oxegen being big and messy anyway that it makes it harder to hear the message from the general static. I would also dare to generalise and say that an Oxegen/Slare crowd would be prepared to put up with an awful lot more hassle straigh off than some of the Strissand audience.

Sadly, I think the only way the powers that be are going to start really listening to coplaints like all those on this thread is when there's a serious incident or even a fatality, or fatalities. That post project meeting between the AGS, MCD, and all the other Slane stakeholders will be for nothing without a representative from the paying public, which isn't happening. One incident or fatality is one too many, especially when there's no need for it.

Surely it's also time for Henry Mountcharles to look at upgrading his estate to cater for the event? Putting in a decent walkway rather than that narrow path would help a great deal. It's a beautiful estate but as the event is now established on the Irish music calendar, that it's time to start treating Slane as a serious venue, and not a quaint setting.

You're dead right. Also, have you got a link to this Facebook page?

squonk

Mental Mickey wrote: »

[/B]

You're dead right. Also, have you got a link to this Facebook page?

Sure, it's

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=93097409206

Couldn't have been worse than oxegen 2006? Could it?

Pace2008

ronoc wrote: »

Couldn't have been worse than oxegen 2006? Could it?

Oxegen '06 was a completely different story - the main problem there was the unrest that occurred on the Sunday night, and the way that it was handled by security. In fairness, I could never find find fault with the transport arrangements at Oxegen.

BrianD

squonk wrote: »

Yes but that will never happen, as a case in point, I went on Saturday with one of my friends who was very annoyed with the organisation, so annoyed in fact that she has put her money where her mouth is and has set up a Facebook group with information for people on who to complain to and sample letters etc. She's also posted to this thread so, in general, we're talking about a very pissed off and pro-active lady here!

Now the clincher... will she be back next year.. Yes, she says she will be if the band is good. That's the problem! That's why people like MCD never, ever lose. Sadly people who are into the music will always want to go and see decent bands. MCD and their cronies are only interested in the business end and leech off of punters.

It boils down to the simple problem that MCD and Aiken are the only games in town. You can't stop missing your favourite artists because you don't like the promoters, and you won't, and you'd be right not to. The people who went through the Streissand fiasco were able to get their points across and get heard, but there is such a preconeption of events like Slane/Oxegen being big and messy anyway that it makes it harder to hear the message from the general static. I would also dare to generalise and say that an Oxegen/Slare crowd would be prepared to put up with an awful lot more hassle straigh off than some of the Strissand audience.

Sadly, I think the only way the powers that be are going to start really listening to coplaints like all those on this thread is when there's a serious incident or even a fatality, or fatalities. That post project meeting between the AGS, MCD, and all the other Slane stakeholders will be for nothing without a representative from the paying public, which isn't happening. One incident or fatality is one too many, especially when there's no need for it.

Surely it's also time for Henry Mountcharles to look at upgrading his estate to cater for the event? Putting in a decent walkway rather than that narrow path would help a great deal. It's a beautiful estate but as the event is now established on the Irish music calendar, that it's time to start treating Slane as a serious venue, and not a quaint setting.

The fact of the matter is that both MCD and Aiken take a huge interest in the punters health and safety. There is a huge amount of event organisation in the background and anybody who has worked as a supplier to any of these gigs knows all the H&S red tape that you have to go through. Ask MCC for the event plans and you'll see the level of detail.

The reality is that Slane Castle is a nice field converted to a stadium for a day so it's never going to be perfect. People forget that the fact that they were delayed or held back on the way in was for their own safety. If some ticket holders got in without a ticket check then it may have been for their own safety. All of the people who complained on this board of not having their ticket checked seems to have been a valid ticket holder. Of course, there's going to be a few chancers that hop the fences but they were hardly going to head for the ticket queues were they? I don't think there has ever been an outdoor gig without free loaders getting in some how or order. But the notion that 1,000's of people arrived in Slane on the off chance that they could gain admission is simply ridiculous.

The real fact of the matter is that 80,000 people came and went to Slane. I haven't read any reports of medical emergencies (other than the norm), evacuations or fatalities. Despite the claims on these boards I doubt if there were even near misses. The only thing that seems to have happened is that some people got home late and people had to Q longer for bars.

I just love the attitude of Irish fans. They arrive late and drunk to gigs, behave outrageously and then act with righteous indignation when they can't get what they want. I suggest somebody puts up a Facebook page with some sample of how fans should behave. It's time Irish fans started accepting some social responsibility for their behaviour.

xxdilemmaxx

BrianD wrote: »

People forget that the fact that they were delayed or held back on the way in was for their own safety.

I'm sorry but that is total bullsh*t, the way in which we were held back/delayed was not safe for anyone.

Being crammed into a tiny dirt track in the middle of a forest that's barricaded in, with people moving baby steps and not moving at all for long periods of time is a safety disaster. If they were really looking out for our safety they would have sorted more entrances to the gig so that it never got to the stage where they had to stop checking tickets just so people could make it into the gig without an accident happening....

squonk

BrianD wrote: »

The fact of the matter is that both MCD and Aiken take a huge interest in the punters health and safety. There is a huge amount of event organisation in the background and anybody who has worked as a supplier to any of these gigs knows all the H&S red tape that you have to go through. Ask MCC for the event plans and you'll see the level of detail.

The reality is that Slane Castle is a nice field converted to a stadium for a day so it's never going to be perfect. People forget that the fact that they were delayed or held back on the way in was for their own safety. If some ticket holders got in without a ticket check then it may have been for their own safety. All of the people who complained on this board of not having their ticket checked seems to have been a valid ticket holder. Of course, there's going to be a few chancers that hop the fences but they were hardly going to head for the ticket queues were they? I don't think there has ever been an outdoor gig without free loaders getting in some how or order. But the notion that 1,000's of people arrived in Slane on the off chance that they could gain admission is simply ridiculous.

The real fact of the matter is that 80,000 people came and went to Slane. I haven't read any reports of medical emergencies (other than the norm), evacuations or fatalities. Despite the claims on these boards I doubt if there were even near misses. The only thing that seems to have happened is that some people got home late and people had to Q longer for bars.

I just love the attitude of Irish fans. They arrive late and drunk to gigs, behave outrageously and then act with righteous indignation when they can't get what they want. I suggest somebody puts up a Facebook page with some sample of how fans should behave. It's time Irish fans started accepting some social responsibility for their behaviour.

There were more than 80,000 there. I showed up at 4:30 and I wouldn't call that late, seeing as the bands we were interested in seeing hit the stage at 5:30 or thereabouts. Neither us nor a lot of the people we met in the queue were drunk. it was luck that there wasn't a medical emergency in that queue. There was nobody around to deal with it had it been a life or death situation and I can't still see plans in place to extract an individual quickly, seeing as the path also catered for disabled concert goers who were being fast-tracked through the queue. Security personnel seemed to be very thin on the ground.

I don't doubt that MCD/Aiken take H&S seriously, it's their business. What is evident though is that MCD didn't have enough staff on hand to adequately carry out any of the plans that were made. There were also deficiencies in the plans themselves. Have you read any of the previous posts? Painting us all as drunk idiots expecting to fall off a bus at stage isn't justified. Also, do you really expect people who didn't have a ticket and got through ticket checks to get on here complaining or even boasting? Listen, if the event was that well organised there wouldn't be 80+ pages of complaints on here. I've said it before and I'll reiterate here, Slane '09 was THE MOST BADLY organised event I've ever been to. You'll always get people who complain about any event, but 80+ pages here and also coverage in other media? If you stillthink there's no problem then it seems that the industry needs a shake up and very damn quick too.

Bluetonic

squonk wrote: »

There were more than 80,000 there.

I should hope so, the planning permission is for 83,500 (approx).

ronbyrne2005

BrianD wrote: »

The fact of the matter is that both MCD and Aiken take a huge interest in the punters health and safety. There is a huge amount of event organisation in the background and anybody who has worked as a supplier to any of these gigs knows all the H&S red tape that you have to go through. Ask MCC for the event plans and you'll see the level of detail.

The reality is that Slane Castle is a nice field converted to a stadium for a day so it's never going to be perfect. People forget that the fact that they were delayed or held back on the way in was for their own safety. If some ticket holders got in without a ticket check then it may have been for their own safety. All of the people who complained on this board of not having their ticket checked seems to have been a valid ticket holder. Of course, there's going to be a few chancers that hop the fences but they were hardly going to head for the ticket queues were they? I don't think there has ever been an outdoor gig without free loaders getting in some how or order. But the notion that 1,000's of people arrived in Slane on the off chance that they could gain admission is simply ridiculous.

The real fact of the matter is that 80,000 people came and went to Slane. I haven't read any reports of medical emergencies (other than the norm), evacuations or fatalities. Despite the claims on these boards I doubt if there were even near misses. The only thing that seems to have happened is that some people got home late and people had to Q longer for bars.

I just love the attitude of Irish fans. They arrive late and drunk to gigs, behave outrageously and then act with righteous indignation when they can't get what they want. I suggest somebody puts up a Facebook page with some sample of how fans should behave. It's time Irish fans started accepting some social responsibility for their behaviour.

Of course you would defend them.
It's not the irish people's attitude or behaviour. I was there in the forest walk on Saturday and vast vast majority were sober and reasonably behaved and at the start were having banter etc. We were stuck there from before KAsabian came on stage untill after they finished. You made light of the crowding/crush saying the fences would just fall over but the vegetation at side of the walk way including large tree trunks meant that many of those temporary fences would not go over in event of a crush and the dense vegetation would stop people from easily spilling into forest area beside the track. The track should be doubled in size at least with areas along it that stewrds can control flow people and emergency services can access anyone injured or sick.
#Just to reiterate, it was not Irish people's attitudes or behaviour that caused the probs last saturday, some of the stuff that happened inside was caused by drink and drugs but the major problems were down to promoters and others. Every where i went in slane i smelt cannabis so i dont think everybody was drunk and off their heads when bars were inaccesible for much of day. Slane is known as an event where people will take their time heading into venue and enjoy the walk down into the site and have a few beers in the sun etc, the promoters know this and should make allowances.