U2 the red-hot favourites to headline Slane Castle concert in 2026
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The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
How Bertie Ahern stepped in as U2 demand ushered in law change to allow two Slane gigs after national fury
ALL-POWERFUL U2 convinced the Irish government to change the laws to allow them to play two Slane concerts in a week. Gig organisers believed they could sell out TWENTY times such was the demand to see the rockers in 2001, but planning laws made more than one gig all but impossible. 6 U2 demand convinced the former Taoiseach to change laws to allow another performance in the same week Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 6 The gig at Slane Castle was a major sell-out, with tickets for the second show snapped up in less than two hours Credit: PA:Press Association 6 Lord Henry Mount Charles' son revealed how Bertie stepped in and solved the issue Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin But when the first concert on August 24 sold out in 45 minutes, triggering a national fury, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern decided to make Slane 2 happen. Bertie told the Irish Sun: 'You could see the momentum building around it. I mean the law was the law, and you couldn't have the concert, and that was it. 'I think it was the late PJ Mara, a personal friend of (U2 manager) Paul McGuinness, who said, 'Listen, this would be a pity to see this go'. 'But it did require us to change the system. So I think that's how it came around to my desk, and we acted on it. I think it took a bit of maneuvering just to get it right.' Alex Conyngham, whose dad Lord Henry Mount Charles hosted the gig, told us: 'Bertie stepped in to help get it done. So that was a good Irish solution to a problem.' Ticketing chief Tommy Higgins told the final episode of the Fields Of Dreams podcast that demand for the gigs was unprecedented. He said: 'I remember the tickets going on sale on a Saturday morning out of HMV and around the country. 'But you knew at the at the start I probably could have sold 600,000 tickets that day the demand that was there. And you would have sold Slane out with the people coming from America alone.' From the outset in 1981, the gigs at Slane Castle, in Co Meath, were always one-day affairs. In 1984 they were almost finished for good when thousands rioted in the streets before the Bob Dylan concerts. Dave Browne from iconic Irish band Picturehouse talks about Sunburst's success Promoters and Lord Henry fought to secure its future, and in 1986 Mountcharles wrote to locals promising Slane would be one gig a year. In 2000, despite local opposition, Meath County Council granted permission for one gig a year in 2000, 2001 and 2002, strictly on a Saturday in either May, June, July or August. FAST-TRACKED LEGISLATION After U2 sold out rapidly in March 2001, the clamour grew for a second gig, which would have to take place in September. New legislation was fast-tracked in April 2001 removing the need for planning permission or any right to appeal by An Bord Pleanala. Bertie said: 'Having looked at the legal complexities at the time with the Attorney General and the departments, the only way around was for me to front up a change to the procedures, and of course, like everything in life, there were those who were for it and against it. 'Not that they were against U2. But they saw this as a precedent that could be used, and they said it was jumping the planning laws.' SOLD-OUT SHOW Tickets for Slane 2 on September 1 sold out in 94 minutes, and Ahern was a guest of the band. It was the same day Ireland beat the Netherlands 1-0, which put them on the road to World Cup 2002. Alex said: 'We showed the game during the gig because obviously it would have been unpatriotic not to. 'So anyway it went up on the big screen and I was chatting to the guys who were running the bars, and they were a bit concerned because the beer sales were down because they're watching the match. 'And then, of course, Ireland scored and 80,000 pints went up in the air and the beer sales just went through the roof.' As for the gigs themselves, 160,000 people were there to witness two events for the ages. 'SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE' Slane boss Alex said: 'I get goosebumps thinking about the amazing moments, when you're in the middle of the song and the band just suddenly become overwhelmed by how with them the crowd is, and they actually go quiet and the crowd do the singing and they just take that in. 'And if you're part of that and you're singing your lungs out at the Castle and you're seeing a sea of people in unison enjoying that moment, it is a spiritual experience. 'You only get a few of those really magic moments in a gig. But when they happen they're pretty mind-blowing.' The final episode of the series also hears from musicians on the drugs, booze and rock 'n' roll circuit of the Seventies onwards. It also recalls the special place Lillie's Bordello held in the hearts of local and overseas acts. The Dublin venue hosted stars including Bruce Sprinsgteen, Mick Jagger and actress Julia Roberts over the years, while a table was permanently reserved just for Bono in case he was in town. The VIP bar saw first Paul Harrington and then Dave Browne from Picturehouse on piano, charged with entertaining the entertainers. Some nights were weirder than others. 'BIZARRE' MOMENT Harrington remembered: 'Prince was in there for a little time. Nobody else allowed in. And I think it was a girlfriend. And a minder. And there was me. 'I had two of my brothers in beside me at the piano and a friend of ours, who was over from Canada. So I just said to whoever it was, 'Look, they're here, they're guests of mine'.' But the Purple Rain singer wanted them to leave. Eurovision winner Harrington added: 'I said, 'Well then, we'll all go together, and let Prince sit on his own'. Anyway, we all stayed. 'It was bizarre. He was looking for a banana split. So they had to send out for this to get made up. Show business! 'About three hours later, I'm still playing, trying to entertain him, sweating bullets, saying, 'What am I going to sing next?' 'But he was very appreciative. That was the type of place it was.' TV STARS AT VENUE Some of the ex-RTE TV football panel were also regulars. He said: 'People like Johnny Giles and Liam Brady and all doing party pieces, it was just pretty wonderful. 'Giles would be up singing Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Liam Brady's party piece was Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town.' As for Eamon Dunphy? Harrington explained: 'He's a good guy and he would sing, but he would take over a bit. My job was to intervene if somebody became annoying to everyone else. 'I remember funny moments like Dunphy swanning in and Karen Millen, the fashion designer, was sitting with gorgeous champagne, and he grabbed the bottle out of the bucket, and then there was water and ice splashing everywhere. He was doing that as a prank and a gag. And he bought a new one.' Episode ten of Fields Of Dreams is available now. 6 Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern fast-tracked new legislation for Slane show Credit: Sportsfile - Subscription 6 U2 frontman Bono in action Credit: Reuters
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Oasis concerts spark spending surge in the capital as bars, cafes and restaurants get a ‘supersonic' boost
Transactions before and after the Gallagher brothers performed jumped to levels last seen when Taylor Swift played at the Aviva Stadium in June last year. Digital bank Revolut, which claims to have three million customers in this country, has reported a 9pc jump in spending by its customers in Dublin compared to the previous weekend. Even as hotel prices shot up and city-centre businesses looked to cash in, Oasis fans continued to spend. They needed no better excuse to put their hand in their pockets. Saturday was the first time in more than 16 years that Oasis had performed in Ireland since playing Slane in 2009. It has been dubbed a 'supersonic' surge in consumer spending over the weekend as the Manchester-born brothers sold out Croke Park. Revolut said the two gigs were always likely to spark a spending spree across the capital, particularly given the Gallagher brothers' proud roots in Mayo and Meath, along with their immense global popularity. The total number of transactions rose by more than 8pc. The big beneficiaries were Dublin bars, cafes, restaurants and nightclubs, which had a 16pc rise in income over the weekend versus the previous one. Anticipation had been building across the capital, with a pop-up store on St Stephen's Green setting the tone by opening early in the month, sending fans scrambling for sought-after merch. Over the first two weekends in August, merchandise stores in Dublin recorded hundreds of thousands of euro in revenues after lengthy queues of fans. The pop-up store has since announced extended dates. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Revolut said spending on public transportation was down 9pc across the rest of Ireland but rose by more than 120pc in Dublin as Oasis fans descended on the capital. Taxi drivers also benefited from the concerts, with a 15pc uplift in revenues last weekend. It's safe to say that Oasis 'Definitely Maybe' gave the Dublin economy a boost last weekend For those who missed out on tickets, there was still a party atmosphere across the county, with Dublin sales of store-bought beer, wine and liquor rising by over a third last week compared with the previous one. Younger adults were the big spenders as people between the ages of 25 and 34 outspent fans in their 40s and early-50s. Those between the ages of 35 and 44 followed closest, suggesting that there was still an older generation of Oasis fans out and about in Dublin for the two concerts. Dublin restaurants, pubs and licensed stores also enjoyed a boost in alcohol and cigarette sales over the weekend. Revolut said its business customers recorded an increase in revenues, with those in the food, beverages or tobacco industries experiencing a 2pc uplift when compared with the previous weekend. Malcolm Craig, general manager at Revolut Bank UAB Ireland Branch, said: 'It's safe to say that Oasis 'Definitely Maybe' gave the Dublin economy a boost last weekend.'
The Journal
5 days ago
- The Journal
'Stuck in my head all these years later': Readers on their memories of Oasis in Ireland
EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING as fans prepare for Oasis' long-awaited return to the stage this weekend, with two shows at Dublin's Croke Park kicking off soon. It's been more than six years since the band last played in Ireland, and the chance to see Liam and Noel Gallagher live has sparked waves of nostalgia for those who were there the first time around. Oasis may be from Manchester, but their Irish connections run deep, and their music has always found a passionate audience across the country. From chaotic festival crowds to unforgettable first concerts, from first crushes in the mosh pit to lifelong memories of singing along to every song, Irish fans have plenty of stories to tell. Here are a few of your fond memories of Oasis in Ireland. Rollerblade rescue Vicki Bergin and her friends were living in Dorset Street in 1996 when they heard Oasis were playing Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Excitement quickly turned to panic a week before the gig when they lost the keys to their flat. 'We spent hours searching, and ended up late for work pretending the flat had been broken into,' she said. 'Just to be safe, we hid our ten Oasis tickets in a pair of old, battered rollerblades.' That evening, when they returned home, the flat had indeed been broken into, and everything of value was gone – except the tickets. 'We couldn't believe our luck!' The group made it to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for a gig that Vicki called 'unforgettable'. 'From the train journey down, when the whole carriage was singing Oasis songs together, to the electric atmosphere on the streets, and of course, the concert itself was absolutely incredible.' 'We were so lucky, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience.' A gig cut short Michael from Raheny remembers seeing Oasis at the height of their fame in March 1996 at the Point. 'The gig was absolutely packed, and the hysteria when they came on stage was unreal,' he recalls. This excitement would only last so long, however. The crowd were – as the lads would say themselves – 'mad for it', but the gig only lasted for an hour and a bit. The Friday night set was cut short because Noel Gallagher had to dash to RTÉ Studios for an appearance on The Late Late Show. Advertisement CR's Video Vaults / YouTube 'His mam, who is Irish herself, insisted that he show up,' Michael said. 'Apparently she told Noel that he would be in major trouble if he didn't make it out to Gay Byrne.' 'People were a bit disappointed at first,' Michael says, 'but then, seeing Noel perform Wonderwall live on Irish television, you couldn't really be mad. 'It was classic Oasis chaos.' Slane first-timer Niamh Crudden still remembers her first festival experience vividly – REM at Slane in 1995, with Oasis supporting. Only 13 at the time and without a parent, she was down near the front when a crowd surge caused some chaos. 'I got hit in the head and was taken to a first aid tent, in case of concussion, and kept there for a while,' she said. Crowds at a concert in Slane Castle. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'Apart from all that it was a brilliant day.' I was only 13 but nobody batted an eye back then. Sure I only lived down the road. 'Everyone from Meath and Louth seemed to be there anyway.' 'What a gig' Macdara Ferris, a Dublin native, saw Oasis in 1994 at Dublin's Tivoli Theatre, which has since been demolished and replaced by a hotel. 'Paid £6.75 for the ticket, some randomer threw up on my trainers, and I thought my hearing was damaged as my ears were still ringing the next day after hearing them play in such a small venue,' he recalled. 'They played a cover of the Beatles song 'I am the Walrus' as their encore – had that song going round in my head for days after. 'What a gig! Still stuck in my head all these years later.' 'Mad fer it!' Fiona Wyse from Navan, Co Meath said that her love of Oasis began in 1995, when her parents took her to see REM in Slane. 'After that, I was hooked! Some of the standout shows include 1997 in the Point Depot, when Noel had to stand in for Liam,' she said. 'I was distraught at the prospect of not having the best frontman ever singing, but little did we know, Noel's acoustic set would be something really special, it really made up for it.' The highlight for Fiona, however, was a family trip to Cork. 'Back in the days when you actually had to ring Ticketmaster to get a ticket and speak to a human – how joyful! We drove down in my sister's red Toyota Starlet with another one of my sisters and stayed in some random B&B.' Related Reads From set list to stage times - everything to know about this weekend's Oasis gigs Oasis tickets bought with dynamic pricing are on 'ethical' resale websites abroad for over €560 'You do have to wonder about the mental state of our parents when they decided to take the whole brood on a five-person family trip to see Oasis. 'I guess you could say they were 'mad fer it!'' Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Lifelong fan Lorraine Ryan still remembers her first Oasis gig in Cork in 1994, and the excitement started long before she even got there. Her dad, who passed away when she was in her early twenties, was a huge influence on her love of music. 'I remember him singing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' around the house. He used to say, 'Lorraine, these guys are going to be one of the biggest bands in the world someday. Mark my words.'' She was only 15 when she got a ticket, and her dad was thrilled for her. 'I still remember what I wore (blue hipsters and a black top) and I've still got the ticket in the attic.' The bus ride from Clare was filled with singing along to their Oasis tapes, and yes, a little too much cider for her age. Once Oasis hit the stage, Lorraine was spellbound. Oasis in concert in 1997. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'I stood there in awe, singing my heart out. Liam was a bit cranky that day, giving out to the crowd for throwing bottles, but thankfully he stayed. Prodigy supported, and nearly brought the house down.' Fast forward to the announcement of the comeback tour – Lorraine had ten people trying to get her tickets that morning, but no luck. 'I couldn't believe I wasn't going to see the lads back together again,' she said. Then, a short text from her husband: 'I've a surprise for you!' When she asked what it was, the suspense nearly killed her. 'You're going to Oasis Sunday!' she read. I actually cried with joy, I'm so excited. Best surprise ever, roll on Sunday. Now 46, Lorraine is ready for the gig, still as excited as ever. 'I wish my dad was here to see it. I know he'd be so proud – and probably smug that he called it right all those years ago.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. 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