Slane gets tuned up for Rolling Stones gig at weekend

Fans attending Saturday's Rolling Stones concert at Slane Castle will benefit from extensive remedial work on the site, the castle owner has said.

Lord Henry Mount Charles said drainage and reseeding work over the last number of weeks is "already paying huge dividends" and the ground will stand up well despite one of the wettest summers on record.

"It would be inappropriate for me to say how much money has been spent, but a lot of money has been spent," he said. "The site is in pretty good condition. The entire surface is practically new and this is because extreme precautions have been taken."

Concert-goers have been advised to stay away from the river Boyne at the back of the site, as water levels are the highest they have ever been during summer.

Almost all 70,000 tickets have been sold, with only some corporate hospitality tickets left at €375 each. This year, there will be 12,500 seats in banks around the venue.

Those near the back will be able to watch the concert on an Imax screen which Lord Mount Charles says will be as big as the castle itself.

This is the first concert at Slane since Madonna played in 2004. Rap artist Eminem was due in 2005, but he pulled out a month before the event.

A new traffic plan is being put in place. The majority of cars will travel via the M1 motorway to dedicated car parks on the N51 Slane road. There will also be limited parking on the N2 south of Slane and on the Navan side on the N51.

Traffic diversions will exist around the village of Slane from 8am on Saturday to 2am on Sunday.

The promoter, Denis Desmond, recommended that concert-goers allow themselves much longer than they might think necessary to get to the venue. A total of 460 gardaí will on duty for the day. These are likely to be mostly employed in traffic duty, not public order, said Garda spokesman Supt Kevin Donohoe.