Oasis set to roll with it as Slane makes ready for gig

OASIS BROTHERS Liam and Noel Gallagher are likely to make today’s concert at Slane Castle an extended family affair.When the band last played Slane, as a support to headliners REM in 1995, they brought an entourage of Irish relatives.

The Manchester-born brothers have Irish parents. Their father Tommy is from Duleek, Co Meath, and mother Peggy (née Sweeney) is from Charlestown, Co Mayo.

Slane Castle owner Henry Mountcharles said that in 1995 the Gallaghers had 80 Irish relatives at the concert. “The last time they played Slane there was still a nightclub operating in the castle. I never seen so many Gallaghers in the one room. We were lucky to get them out of the place. There are more Gallaghers now.”

When the concert was announced in October, Noel Gallagher said his mother would definitely be attending.

“She’ll be like the Queen of Sheba,” he predicted.

In his blog on the official Oasis website, Noel Gallagher name-checked a few uniquely Irish treats which he has often mentioned in the past were part of his summers spent in Ireland.

“Off to Dublin today where, for one night only, we will welcome The Prodigy to the tour. Slane Castle tomorrow. Silvermints, Tayto crisps and brunches! YUMMY,” he wrote.

All 80,000 tickets for the concert have been sold after additional tickets which went on sale this week sold out.

It is a significant achievement for a band whose musical and popular heyday was back in the mid-1990s when they were in the vanguard of Brit Pop with their debut album Definitely Maybe and its multimillion follow-up What’s the Story (Morning Glory).

The band will go on stage at 8.30pm and the support acts will be The Prodigy, Glasvegas, Kasabian and The Blizzards.

A back-up generator will be provided to avoid the debacle which happened at Heaton Park in their native Manchester when the PA system cut out several times and Noel Gallagher offered to give the 70,000 crowd their money back.

About 20,000 fans have taken him up on the offer. But his response has been: “No, you’re not getting your money back! So you were genuinely disappointed? I don’t recall seeing a 20,000 gap in the crowd.”

The forecast for the concert is good, with highs of between 17 and 18 degrees and with little breeze and a strong sun, it may be a day for sunscreen.

“There might be a slight risk of a shower in the morning, but it will clear up by midday. It will be nice enough but not as warm as it is going to be next week,” said Met Éireann forecaster Dr Aidan Nulty.

Oasis is only one of a number of top musical acts playing this weekend.

On Sunday night, former Slane headliner Neil Young, who played a memorable concert with Booker T and the MGs in 1993, plays the O2.

Having witnessed one circus in the form of Take That’s memorable concert in Croke Park last weekend, Britney Spears opened her own Circus tour at the O2 last night.

Spears is bringing nearly as big a cast and crew as Take That, with 60 performers which includes dancers, magicians, clowns and acrobats.

It’s a big production and comes with big prices. But tickets, which are priced between €86.25 and €136.25, are still on sale.

Merrion Square will be the venue for this weekend’s AIB Street Performing World Championship, now entering its final stages.

The championship will take place today and tomorrow and the victors will be crowned tomorrow evening at 8.15.

Traffic Restrictions

ONCE AGAIN for a Slane concert, gardaí have warned motorists travelling to it to arrive early and take public transport if possible. There will be an unspecified car parking charge and an average walk of between 20 and 30 minutes from the car parks to the concert venue. Traffic from Dublin and the south should take the M50 to the M1 and exit at the Slane exit. Traffic from the north should take the M1 and exit at Dunleer/Collon exit.

Traffic coming from Navan and the west should take the N51 to Slane. Dublin buses will depart every 20 minutes from Parnell Square West, outside the Rotunda. Tickets are priced €20.

There will be car parking on the N2 both north of Slane and on the Navan side of Slane on the N51. There will be car parking south of Slane on the N2. The car parks are located on the N51 Navan/Slane Rd, N51 Drogheda/Slane Road, Kells/Slane Road (R163) and on the N2 Dublin/Monaghan Road south of Slane village. There will be tight security around the village and a presence of about 400 gardaí. Street drinking is forbidden and it is also forbidden to bring alcohol into the venue. Other things on the banned list include umbrellas, spikes, studs, recording equipment, fold up or blow up chairs. Patrons are also advised to dress for the conditions which will be warm and sunny for most of the day, but it could get chilly in the evening.