Concert promoters seek to hit right note with Cork residents

A network of road closures, private car parks, and litter management teams will be deployed during the concert series at Musgrave Park, Cork City, this summer in a bid to minimise the impact on family homes in the area.

Between June 20 and 26, six concerts will take place at Musgrave Park in a residential area on the southside of the city. Headline events are Liam Gallagher, Hozier, Walking on Cars, Lauryn Hill, the Coronas, and George Ezra.

Residents have met with promoters MCD to discuss concerns about noise, traffic, and litter ahead of the event, with up to 12,000 people due to attend each concert.

An event licence application submitted to Cork City Council includes extensive details on the running of the concerts, including plans for a shuttle bus service, two car parks, and more than 200 event staff, including security. Passes will be provided to residents to move freely through closed roads too.

It is proposed to close Tramore Rd, Kent Rd, Pearse Rd, and Botanic Rd, with one entrance each to the site from Tramore Rd and Pearse Rd.

The concerts have a maximum capacity of 12,000, including 9,500 standing on the pitch.

Two hundred event staff, including security, will be on site during each concert.

There is a proposed curfew of 10.30pm from Sunday to Thursday and 10.45pm on Friday and Saturday.

Further discussions with gardaí on traffic management will take place while the application notes “CIE will be providing a shuttle bus service” to and from the city centre.

Bus and car pickup and drop-off points will be located in the nearby Woodies car park and parking will be located in Black Ash carpark, though both proposals have to be confirmed.

“Facilities will be in place to ensure that there is no build-up of refuse in the venue or surrounding area,” the application states, noting MCD intends to “return the venue to the ‘as found’ condition after the event”.

Gardaí in Cork say there are no concerns about their ability to cover both the Musgrave Park events and the Live at the Marquee concerts.

Several of the events overlap, with Versatile playing the Marquee on June 21 and Walking on Cars performing at Musgrave Park.

On June 22, the Coronas concert clashes with the One Day festival in the Marquee, while Liam Gallagher and Kris Kristofferson will both play Cork on June 23.

It is understood that, so far, no submissions had been made to the planning department at Cork City Council regarding the event licence application.

I’m absolutely over the Keith, to be going back to County Cork to headline Irish Independent Park on 23rd June LG x

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) February 12, 2019

The closing date is this Monday, February 18.

Despite not making any formal submissions, concerned parents have contacted nearby schools, including Deerpark CBS, about the potential impact of the six concerts on Leaving Cert exams.

Exams are currently scheduled to finish on June 25, meaning three of the concerts will overlap with them.

There is a fear that set up will take place at the stadium in the days ahead of the concert series, potentially resulting in traffic and noise disruption in the area.

Aaron Wolfe, deputy principal of Deerpark CBS, said parents have contacted the school asking about ‘possible contingencies’ for exams should issues emerge.

“There is a fear out there that people will be distracted,” said Mr Wolfe.

“There will be noise, traffic, and litter issues. People are asking why the concerts couldn’t have been arranged for July.”