The ballroom of Slane Castle hosted its first public event since the 1991 fire yesterday, when Lord Mount Charles, the Garda Siochana and MCD Promoters went through their steps for next Saturday week's sell-out concert.
It would be an exaggeration to say that many of the 80,000 expected to attend Slane 99 hadn't been born in 1991; but not much of an exaggeration. The headlining act of Robbie Williams will mean a younger-than-usual crowd, organisers admit, many of them attending a major outdoor concert for the first time.
The Garda is confident that security arrangements will be up to the challenge, however. Some 400 officers will be on duty over the weekend, including air support, mounted police, and a water unit to patrol the River Boyne. Slane will be a no-go area to all but local traffic from 10 p.m. on Friday to 2 a.m. on Sunday. For would-be concert-goers who haven't got a ticket yet, the message was stark. "There will be no tickets on sale in Slane on the day, and we'll be striking very hard at any touts who try," said Chief Supt Michael Finnegan.
Event controller Mr Eamon McCann underlined the message: "Don't travel if you haven't got a ticket. You won't get past the Garda barriers."
One of the biggest security concerns, as always, is the river; and organisers and gardai alike are at pains to stress that nobody can get into the concert by this route.
The possible antics of revellers inside are also a concern. Anyone caught "body-surfing" or "moshing" during the concert will be ejected without a refund, the organisers promise. "It used to seem like a bit of fun, but it's dangerous, and we're not going to tolerate it," Mr McCann said.
It wasn't all warnings, however. Lord Mount Charles took time out to congratulate himself and the promoters on the choice of Robbie Williams, based on his "extraordinary" performance as a support act last year. Slane 99 had been the fastest-selling in the 18-year history of concerts at the site, the proprietor said: 25,000 tickets in the first four hours alone.
For those who didn't manage to get of a ticket, the show will be broadcast live on the Internet, and is also being recorded by Sky TV.
