Summer Concerts Update

Marlay Park has for many years hosted summer concerts. In the past we, as a community, have been tolerant of the disruption that these concerts have caused. As an Association, we have a respectful relationship with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, who have in general listened to our complaints and helped ensure that disruption was minimised as best possible.

While we were aware that there were an increased number of concerts planned for this year, we did not anticipate the severity of the disruption that these concerts would have for our residents.

MGRA met with the council in April and the 2014 concerts was one of the items on the agenda. Our main concerns, at the time, were that

a) There would be adequate security to prevent non-residents parking in our estate so that emergency services could access at all times
b) The area would be cleaned up after each concert.
c) That noise levels would be monitored.
d) There would be a complaints line to report issues during the concerts
e) The park would be accessible on non-concert days

As previous years’ concerts were held without serious issues, MGRA were confident that this year would be no different. We were not alone in this confidence as there were no objections by any residents or businesses in the whole DLRCOCO area during the planning process.

This year, unfortunately, the concerts have been more than just an inconvenience to many of us as a result of the number of concerts in such a short space of time, noise levels, drunkenness, traffic impact and Gardaí controlled closure of the Grange Road for two hours on the evening of the concerts.
We have compiled a list of residents’ complaints and will be meeting with the council to complain and discuss them. We would like to stress that our Residents Association is not a political party and has no interest in seeking a public profile. With the Garth Brooks saga, the local impact of concerts has been a national interest and we have had numerous journalists contacting us. We as a committee did not want to be drawn into publicity, with no control over the press or the angle of their reporting. Unfortunately like with all media representations, statements made by our Residents Association can be interpreted in many ways.

Our Residents’ committee is a group of unpaid volunteers who try to make Marley Grange a better estate. The MGRA had no control of and little voice once the concerts were in full swing. On behalf of our members, the MGRA will be making a complaint to DLR COCO in relation to the 2014 concerts and we actively encourage anybody who has a grievance with the Marlay Park concerts to make a complaint directly to DLRCOCO at http://www.dlrcoco.ie/t4/code/complaint3.html or make a complaint to a local Councillor.

Marley Grange Residents Association