Man sues over leg injuries at Oasis concert
Paul Kennedy says his ankle was fractured when he was pushed against a barrier in a crush at the 2009 rock concert at Slane Castle.
He told the High Court there was a lot of pushing and shoving as people queued in a corralled area for drinks.
“The pushing and shoving got worse. There was a lot of pushing from the back. It put pressure on the barriers at either side. I was pushed. I went over on my left ankle,” he said.
Kennedy, aged 22, of Ballinteer Park, Dublin, has sued MCD Productions, Dún Laoghaire; Lord Henry Mountcharles of Slane Castle; and Solak Bars Ltd of Upper Fitzwilliam St, Dublin, as a result of injuries he received at the concert on June 20, 2009. Liability has been denied in the case.
Outlining Mr Kennedy’s case, senior counsel David Nowlan said MCD was being sued as the events manager of the concert and Solak because it organised the bars at the venue.
He said Oasis were one of the biggest rock bands in the world and the venue could hold 83,000 people. Mr Kennedy, who had travelled to Slane with a group of friends, had queued for 30 minutes to buy a drink. Counsel said the serving of drink was so slow there was a build-up of people in the corralled area, which counsel said was “to the extent it became highly dangerous”.
He said the “inevitable happened” and there was pushing from behind with the people in front pushing back. Mr Kennedy he said was caught in the middle. Counsel said there was no criticism of Mr Kennedy and no suggestion there was any form of bad behaviour.
Counsel said the crush was so bad a panic ensued and girls started screaming. Mr Kennedy, he said, was caught “in a human crush” and a barrier was tilted at a 45-degree angle. Mr Kennedy sustained a fracture but thought he had sprained his ankle and went back to the concert. The next day he sought medical help as his ankle was swollen. He was found to have a fracture and had to use crutches.
Mr Nowlan said Mr Kennedy could not continue with his Fás electrician’s apprenticeship course in 2009 and was not able to take up the course again until the following year.
“Whatever his chance of getting a job in 2009, he had no chance in 2010.”
In his evidence to the court, Mr Kennedy said he had continued with the concert because he thought he had sprained his ankle. He said he was struggling to walk and the pain was a lot worse as he walked to his party’s bus two miles from the venue at the end of the night.
The case before Mr Justice Eamon de Valera continues today.
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