'People power" forces u-turn on Navan 'rave"

Outraged Navan residents who had reacted furiously to plans for a 'rave" at Navan Rugby Club on the August Bank Holiday weekend were relieved this week to hear the event has been moved to an alternative venue. However, residents of Ratoath have expressed grave concern at the news that the promoters of the Escape Festival, which is expected to attract up to 5,000 fans, will now hold the dance music extravaganza at Fairyhouse Racecourse instead. The festival was due to take place at Navan Rugby Club on Saturday 1st August with over 60 DJs performing in four large marquees at the club. However, furious local residents had expressed their anger to Navan Rugby Club and the event was cancelled on Monday. At a meeting described as 'positive' by both local residents and the rugby club on Monday night, residents were told the event would not now go ahead in Navan and there would be better lines of communications between the residents and the club in the future. The president of Navan Rugby Club, Michael Gavigan, said the residents of the area had his full sympathy on this issue. He explained that the previous executive of the club had decided in good faith to host the event, thinking it would be a concert, and not realising it was a 'rave". He said they had, in these difficult economic times, been trying to raise funds for the club. He said that due to 'people power", Meath County Council was not prepared to close Swan Lane, which would have been necessary if the festival was to go ahead, and the rugby club decided not to proceed with the event. Mr Gavigan said he had spoken to residents from the Kilcarn, Oakleigh and Limekilnhall areas on Monday night along with his deputy, Raymond Hannon, and it had been a positive meeting. 'The club will learn a lesson from this about communicating with local residents and we have apologised for the lack of consultation,' he said. Mr Gavigan said the overwhelming majority of people on the executive of the club were opposed to the 'rave", as they were parents themselves. Kilcarn resident, Brian Flanagan, welcomed the decision to cancel the event in Navan as described it as 'people power'. He described Monday"s meeting as positive and looked forward to a liaison committee being formed with the rugby club. Mr Flanagan said that the proposed 'rave" would have been totally unsuitable for such a residential area and would have caused huge problems for local residents. 'There were fears of antisocial behaviour, damage to property, noise and traffic problems,' he said. Mr Flanagan said that residents had also been furious at the lack of communication with Navan RFC about the event. Cllr Shane Cassells, a resident of Oakleigh, whose home is right beside the club, also welcomed the decision by the club to abandon the idea of a 'rave" on their grounds. 'I had outlined to their president, Michael Gavigan, the impact such an event would have on the residential areas surrounding their pitches and on those who lived on Swan Lane. I am glad that these concerns were taken on board,' he said. Also welcoming the decision was Cllr Peadar Tóibín who had called on Navan Rugby Club not to proceed with the music event. He said there were certain activities which fitted well with such venues and residential areas, but an all-day 'rave" with up to 4,980 people in attendance was not one of them. 'The rugby club"s fields, which would have been the site of the concert, is literally walled on three sides by residential housing which would have been directly in the line of amplified music for the whole day,' he said. The promoter of the event, Sean Enright, said the event would now be going ahead at the Fairyhouse Racecourse, which is a much better venue. He said the festival was not a 'rave" but a dance festival and DJs would be flying in from Japan, Stockholm and Germany for the event. 'We are looking froward to the event and tickets are selling well. Most of those travelling to the festival will come on buses from the city centre and from around the country, including Navan,' he said. Among the acts already confirmed for the festival are Organ Donors, Frisky, LED, Tidy Boys, Matt Hardwick, Agnelli and Nelson, Cosmic Gate, Yozi and Scot Project. Ratoath"s Cllr Nick Killian said that residents of the area would be very concerned at the proposals. He said that while a lot of good things happen at Fairyhouse, too many of 'these festivals' take place there. He said he would be taking the matter up with the local authority immediately as many questions would have to be answered about the planned event.