Controversies
Lord Conyngham insists that the venue be played by rock bands and will not not allow so-called 'manufactured bands' such as Westlife or Boyzone to play at his castle grounds. Westlife and Boyzone manager Louis Walsh maintains that Westlife have no interest in playing at Slane, saying a Croke Park concert would be a "dream come true" for his band and that it would be "a far better venue than a field in Meath".
The 2004 concert attracted protests from the people of Slane, as it was to be held on a Sunday. The inhabitants were afraid of repeats of the civil unrest that had occurred the last time a concert was held on a Sunday, in 1984. This was due to concert-goers arriving the day before, Saturday, and consuming large amounts of alcohol before the Sunday concert. The matter was resolved by postponing the start of the concert and having a notably smaller lineup than other years.
In 2009, Dublin Bus did not provide enough transport for those who purchased a return ticket, and there were no Garda Síochána near the buses. The concert ended between 22.30 and 23:00, yet thousands did not get a bus seat until 03:00. The Marquess Conyngham expected improvements for 2010.
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