Croke Park protests called off

Croke Park residents have called off this evening's protest at the stadium following a meeting with Croke Park management.

This morning they suspended their overnight protest this morning to allow trucks containing equipment from U2's concerts to move out of Croke Park.

Residents were angered that the works were taking place continuously over 44 hours to dismantle the stage and lay a new pitch in a bid to ready the stadium for the All-Ireland football quarter-finals next weekend.

Their protests were to coincide with the start of overnight work to lay a new pitch for the All-Ireland football quarter-finals next weekend.

Residents will meet this evening to discuss the outcome of the meeting with management at the stadium. "We will present the outcome to the residents and feel it will have resolved the issue, " Patrick Gates, Chairperson of the Croke Park Area Residents Alliance said.

Mr Gates could not give details of the meeting but said he hoped it would be acceptable and would mark the end of the matter.

In a statement after the meeting, Criostóir Ó Cuana and Páraic Duffy of Croke Park said they outcome of the meeting now allowed the laying of the Croke Park pitch to commence in time for the weekend.

“We thank the local community for their understanding and co-operation in assisting our efforts to bring about a resolution and we apologise for any inconvenience caused to residents in the last 48 hours,” Mr Ó Cuana said.

“We have listened carefully to their views and we are committed to a process of dialogue which will be consultative in its nature in an effort to achieving the best possible outcome for all concerned in the running of the major events at Páirc an Chrócaigh.

“We are committed to moving forward in a positive way to address their concerns. I am now looking forward to the prospect of exciting games at the weekend with the quarter finals of the GAA Championships.”

Residents reached an agreement with U2's concert promoters MCD at 8am this morning to allow some 54 production trucks out of the stadium.

Barbara Ward of Clonliffe and District Residents' Association said up to 80 people picketed the stadium and blocked trucks from leaving from 1am.

Ms Ward said this morning’s protests were not spur of the moment but were well-flagged two weeks ago.

A new pitch is to be laid for this weekend's matches, which begin with a double-header on Sunday when Cork take on Donegal before Tyrone meet Kildare.

Earlier U2 tour manager Jake Berry said the delays caused by the protest affected the tour schedule.

“It affects it. We should all be not talking to you and be on a boat,” he said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

“It affects the tour schedule, read it whatever way you want,” he said.

“When all this went down last night we were definitely not prepared because the last thing we want to do is put trucks on a street which has the potential of causing an accident. So we were stopped in mid-stream as this was totally unannounced and different to what we agreed,” he said.

Patrick Gates said the work being carried out over two nights were the “salt in the wound” to follow the massive disruption caused by the three concerts.

Mr Gates said that while residents were not against concerts, they did not see why three had to be staged in the time allocated under the licence. Holding just two concerts would have allowed the stage dismantling to take place in normal working hours.