80,000 turn out to see U2 at Slane
Saturday, 1 September 2001 20:56Up to 80,000 people are attending the U2 concert in Slane in County Meath today. Earlier, Gardaí asked young people attending the concert to use public transport rather than have their parents collect them.
Slane village has been closed to all vehicular traffic until 3am tomorrow morning. Traffic diversions are in operation on both sides of the N2 at both Ardee and Kilmoon Cross.
Special planning permission was approved for today's concert and a huge security operation is underway with every road to Slane blocked to all but ticket holders and residents.
Fleets of buses have been bringing fans to Slane since early this morning and many will not make it back to their home towns until early tomorrow morning.
As at last week's U2 concert at Slane, Gardaí again patrolled the River Boyne to prevent fans from swimming across. Those who gathered at the venue by three o'clock had the chance to see the World Cup qualifying match between the Republic of Ireland and Holland on huge TV screens.
Ireland won that match 1-0. Another 35,000 went to Lansdowne Road for the match.
