‘I feel I’m living in a beer garden’ – residents object to drink licence for Malahide Castle concerts

Sting, Blur, Depeche Mode, Paolo Nutini, Sam Fender, Florence and The Machine and Hozier will headline over seven nights from June 14-30.

The concerts are expected to attract up to 20,000 revellers on each date.

Promoters MCD had to apply to Judge Marie Quirke at Dublin District Court for an occasional licence to serve alcohol at the venue.

However, neighbours Mary Lynch and Nicola Byrne from Old Street, and Majella Dunne from New Street, Malahide, jointly lodged objections.

Last year Ms Byrne and Ms Dunne took a similar course. However, Judge Quirke ruled that the event could get a liquor licence but four extra gardaí had to patrol New Street and Old Street from 10.30pm until 2am for the seven concert nights.

Ms Dunne had claimed the pedestrianisation of New Street and outdoor serving laws introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic led to year-round street drinking and public order incidents.

"I feel now I am living in a beer garden," she had said. They cited fears it would cause problems in the area and that thousands of extra people would come into the village to drink before, during or after the concerts.

In the objectors' latest challenge, the residents contend there was one night of effective policing of street drinking last year.

Coolock Garda Inspector Oliver Woods outlined the policing strategy and said gardaí would enforce public drinking by-laws. He had no objection to the licence and said there had been no problems in the running of the events.

About arrests in Malahide during the concerts last year, he said Swords and Howth experienced the same amount, gardaí were doing their best, but when questioned by Ms Byrne, he conceded that a "zero tolerance approach" was unrealistic.

Most concert-goers would leave by Dart trains and various bus services.

The court heard promoters engaged in a public consultation process advertised in the Irish Independent and the Northside People newspapers.

A Fingal County Council planner said the council allowed the concerts with 28 conditions and drinks must not be served in the venue after 10pm.

The case resumes next week when the three residents are to give evidence supporting their objection.

The pedestrianisation of New Street in Malahide is already the subject of a High Court challenge.

The three residents also have a licence objection pending before the district court concerning outdoor serving at three local pubs.