Sharon Keogan: Two-Day Slane Concert Risks Four Days Disruption
Sharon Keogan raises concerns about the proposed two-day concert at Slane Castle and its impact on Slane Village residents. She outlines requests for public safety assurances, a fairer local levy, and better local engagement in event planning.
Local impact and disruption
Sharon Keogan explains that while the community broadly supports Concert at Slane as part of Irish cultural life, a two-day event creates a very different level of disruption. For residents this effectively means four days of significant disruption-from early set-up through to clear-out-with traffic restrictions, reduced mobility and pressure on daily routines.
Consultation and local representation
Keogan highlights that the formal consultation process for events of this scale often remains procedural rather than meaningful. Communities submit views but lack an ongoing role in shaping outcomes; engagement often arrives late. She proposes a stronger, formal role for local councillors at LEA level and a mediation layer between organisers, authorities and residents.
Community demands and practical measures
The address sets out practical requests from Slane residents: clear public safety assurances including an ambulance stationed in the village, and a five euro contribution levy per ticket to be distributed to local clubs and organisations. Keogan urges MCD, the owners of Slade Castle and all relevant parties to engage constructively with the community to deliver these measures.
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I wish to raise the proposed two-day concert event at Slane Castle and its impact on the residents of Slane Village. At the outside, I think it's important to say that people are broadly supportive of Concert at Slane. These events are an important part of Irish cultural life. However, what is now proposed is not a one-day concert, but a two-day event, and that brings a very different level of disruption. For local residents, this effectively means four days of significant disruptions, from early set-up through to the clear-out, with traffic restrictions, reduced mobility and pressure on daily routines. Fundamentally, their freedom of movement is limited. The community is not objecting to the event itself. What residents are saying is that their legitimate concerns must be recognised. They are asking for practical assurances around access, for a fairer contribution to local groups and the services that are currently a paltry £10,000 being given, and for a recognition that while these events generate commercial returns, the benefits to the village has been limited. More broadly, this highlights a wider issue in Ireland. While a formal consultation process exists for events of this scale, it is often procedural rather than meaningful. Communities can make submissions, but they do not always have a structure, an ongoing role in shaping outcomes, with engagement often coming late in the process. One practical way to address this would be to formulise a stronger role for local councillors at LEA level and a mediation layer between organisers, authorities and residents. In the meantime, the community of Slane is demanding that a few of their needs are met. Firstly, there should be clear assurances around public safety, including that an ambulance be stationed in the village at all times. Secondly, there should be a five-year contribution levy for each ticket sold to be distributed to local clubs and organisations. Slane is a unique place. No other concert in the country is put under the restrictions regarding freedom of mobility. These are reasonable and practical requests, and I would urge MCD and the owners of Slade Castle and all relevant parties to engage constructively with the community to deliver them. Thank you.
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