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SOME PEOPLE ATTENDING the Arcade Fire and Pixies gig at Marlay Park in Dublin last night found themselves having to walk for hours when they couldn’t access buses or taxis.
In one case, a man got a lift from a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver after he got wind of his difficulty getting home.
The park has a capacity of 32,000 people and is located in Rathfarnham, about 9km (5.5 miles) from the city centre of Dublin.
Getting there
One young woman, who didn’t get home until 2am though she left the concert grounds at 11pm, told TheJournal.ie that there were issues with buses heading into Marlay Park.
“We got to Custom House Quay at 5pm and they said there would be no more buses until 6.30pm,” she said.
They got a taxi and then walked the rest of the way to the venue, as there was a “big queue” for the buses, run by Marathon Sports Travel, with people who had bought tickets online getting priority.
After the concert
At the conclusion of the concert, the person TheJournal.ie spoke to exited by the left of the stage with her friends.
They made their way through the venue grounds and, not finding any buses, ended up exiting by foot onto the M50.
However they were still unable to access a bus or taxi, and walked to the Rathfarnham Road before getting in touch with a taxi firm. They eventually got home at 2am after waiting at a service station for over an hour.
Another concert-goer told us she had to walk for an hour to get a taxi as there were no buses left.
What the transport operators said
In its comprehensive information guide on transport to the concerts, concert promoter MCD said that Marathon Sports Travel would operate a bus service from Customs House at 2pm, 3pm, and every half hour from 4pm.
When TheJournal.ie contacted Marathon Sports Travel, Francis Roche said that nobody who booked a ticket online with them missed a bus.
“We carried all the people [who booked a ticket online],” said Roche.
He said that the “big message” is that:
An awful lot of people just expect that there will be transport there. You can book our transport online with us. If you are going [to Marlay Park], it is a remote site so book in advance. If they book service, they are guaranteed to get service.
On the issue of the buses not running exactly to schedule, he said they had experienced a surge of people after the Dublin match, and that in order to manage expectations they told customers that it might be 6.30pm before they could get a bus.
However, he said that they had “all those people moved by 6pm”. He said the staff did not sell tickets to people unless they realised they would have to wait longer than expected for the bus.
Dublin Bus was also running buses to the venue. A spokesperson said that they put additional buses on their 16c services, with 35 buses in total: 27 bringing people home, and seven going to Marlay park.
“We did supplement the service the best we could,” she said.
That is what we will be doing for all the gigs in Marlay Park this summer, we will be putting on additional buses to deal with the extra people.
On Boards.ie, the issue of public transport to the gig was also discussed, with one user saying that getting home “was a nightmare”.
Some people had journeyed from outside Dublin – one said that she had missed her bus to Cork due to the delays, and had to stay in Dublin.
https://twitter.com/brid_ad_lib/status/483545428924055552
People were also describing their experiences on Twitter:
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I was exiting the M50 at Dundrum last night around 11:30pm only to be met by about ten people walking in the middle of the off ramp. It was dark and they had no high visibility clothing.
Very dangerous, lucky there were no casualties.
I was driving and there were loads of people walking on the road well beyond the venue despite the paths being full. Didn’t respond to lights, horn or revs. Just turned around looked at the car and kept walking in the middle of the road. Seriously dangerous.
Definitely should have been more transport on (saw only three 16 buses and that about a mile down the road from the venue) but people need some cop on too.
I went to David gray 13 years ago (don’t judge my taste in music- I was young!) and we walked from Marley park to the nearest estate, stopped at a house with no car or lights on. Rang a taxi and gave them to address. Had a taxi back to hotel within 15 mins. Otherwise we would have had to walk to town.
Smart. Very smart.
Was that gig 13 years ago. Was raining so hard he played un some plastic bag
Tried to do that, I rang 4 different taxi companies who all said they wouldnt come up that direction as it’s “too much hassle” and they couldn’t guarantee my taxi would get to me. I suggested the driver just not pick up anyone else until they got to the address I had given and got a “no no that wouldn’t work”…. Pretty sure that’s exaclty how ordering taxis works normally…? Took us an hour of walking towards Dundrum before the other half spotted a loan taxi down a side road we sprinted for and took home.
I asked the taxi man where his counterparts were as obviously there’s a lot of money to be made judging by how many people were walking and he said the gardai had said to avoid the area due to the massive amount of people leaving………. I’ll leave that one there.
Excellent gig though!
Looks to me like people didn’t research the best way to get there and back and book tickets accordingly. Although it’s always easier to blame someone else for your mistakes.
Spot on Brian,
Far easier to blame everyone else for their inability to actually put 5seconds into planning on how they’ll get home after they concert.
I did book an online ticket and it still took forever. Concert finished around half 10 and I queued for an hour and a half for my bus back to town. There was nobody around to tell you where to go or which queue to be in. Cars buses and taxis all left from the same exit. It was a joke. Arcade Fire were deadly tho!
LCypu could have walked to town in that time.
Any where that there’s a gathering of 30,000+ people there’s going to be transport issues. I walked for an hour to get a taxi in Barcelona last summer after primavera. And have done in the past with outdoor gigs in various venues around Ireland.
Plan how you’ll get there and back, if all else fails, try not having a drink and driving there. Don’t rely on other people to get you home. Do it yourself
Don’t understand what all the drama is about…this is part and parcel of gigs like that. We walked for close to 2 hours out of Phoenix Pk after Florence 2 yrs ago, and I remember walking for hours after Slane/Witnness gigs years ago (showing my age now!!) theres no point blaming the venue, this happens everywhere!! Take your heads out of your twitter accounts and have a bit of banter with your mates on the walk!!
Festival goers are a softer breed these days. It took hours just getting out of Fairyhouse, nevermind the actual getting home part.
And we all lived to tell the tale!
Il never forget wading thru a foot deep of mud on the Monday morning of the 2002 witnness ,fantastic weekend oasis foo fighters and prodigy
Imagine, people our capital city expecting public transport! what nutters
Exited the venue, walked for 10 mins and got on one of the multitude of Dublin Buses that were lined up on the St.
No clue how people ended up on the bloody M50!
drunk and hanging around too long wasting time while the smart ones got out of there before the madness.
god love them and now complain the taxi wasnt waiting for them.
There were signs pointing in different directions and event staff hadn’t a clue when asked. No signage outside the actual concert area. Potluck who found the right bus and who didn’t. We moved at a good pace and only barely made the bus in time.
Circa early 1990s we walked from Slane to Drogheda after Neil Young/Pearl Jam gig powered by Linden Village consumed during the day. This generation never had it so good ;-)
Sure its only 9km,
Most people who went to that concert were relatively young and able bodied, 9km should be no bother to them.
Leave the buses for the people that really need them….or plan ahead and actually book a place on a bus instead of assuming you’ll be able to get a place on a bus.
Most likely will be an unpopular comment but I completely agree with you. Plan ahead or prepare to walk. I’ve had to do that walk myself before – sure it’s less than an hour casual walk to the main street in Rathmines (6km), you’d almost make it for last orders in Roddy Bolands.
Dont be blaming Dublin Bus , they weren’t providing the bus service to and from the venue , they were not asked by the promoters to supply extra buses. Its the private operater who failed to meet the demands of providing transport.
A Dublin bus staff member told me they were prohibited from tendering for the contract and then from advertising that they had extra buses running to and from the gig. Ridiculous. The Gardaí should step in and insist on clearer signage and more coaches from Marathon. This now a public safety issue.
Nothing new there. Went to a couple of gigs in Marley years ago (chemical brothers/basement jaxx) had a bus ticket and they ran out of buses. Had to walk home. Was a pain in the arse but I got over it.
Going to Kings of Leon and Kodaline on Friday and I’m dreading getting to and from Marley Park!
Book a ticket?!
Best book at ticket mate, I went to arcade fire last night and the Q’s were massive getting home, lucky enough we managed to get near the front and get a bus, book if you don’t want to get mixed up on the transport chaos! Enjoy the gig on fri ;)
@SeanCollins thanks for the advice! Hope you enjoyed the gig last night!
And be careful in case Marathon close down online bookings the day before the gig as they did last week without telling anyone.
Did the Luas run extra services into and out of town last night? Be about 30/40mins walk from Marlay to the Ballaly stop but would have been another option
Next time keep the car running
I was there and had no issues, great gig
Super concert and Great crowd , had to walk to mac d’s to get taxi but hey ho , great venue for it
Most taxis won’t even stop for concert goers, the stone roses in Phoenix park was the same story. Disaster
Ahh stone roses Phoenix park what a day !
I thought the whole gig was a nightmare honestly. Its such a nice venue – I’ve been to gigs there loads of times before, and I really think this was my worst experience. Queues for toilets and bars were awful and the place was a kip – so disappointing, and confusing! It’s not a new venue, they should have their shit sorted out.
But in saying that Arcade Fire were beyond perfect so I can forget about the rest!
Que’s for bars and toilets at a large gig?!! SHOCK HORROR!!! A disgrace indeed. Obviously you should never have to que for anything and should walk straight up to a bar and be served by a cherub from the heavens, and then have gold plated toilets to use. Man up and stop complaining. Or just don’t go to gigs!
Ideally the cherubs would bring the beer directly to me, but I suppose I can’t have everything I want. Not having to queue a half hour to pee would be nice though.
It would be nice. But you’re at a large out door gig. Same happens at electric picnic at times. Massive ques for food stalls at certain times of the day, massive ques for Bacardi bar etc. if you don’t want to deal with the negative issues then stay at home
their were loads using the toilets on the left looking out of the stage but the ones on the right were empty , the mad dash for the bar at 9.50 was shocking , i’m a drinker but that dash was ridiculous why can’t people just enjoy the bloody show while it happens and not spend so long trying to get a overpriced crap larger
Oh come on. It’s an outdoor gig. It’s fine to just frontload with spirits before you go in, then basically just piss yourself.
I got longer queue last year at Kilmainham for Blur, this year was alright to be fair.
At least the que at blur was mainly before they played and not during
O shut up!
Dublin Bus did throw on a few extra 16′s heading to Marlay Park, which was much appreciated.
Coming home was a different story though.
Walked for a good hour from Marlay up to the Yellow House pub in Rathfarnham before we even saw taxis (all full of course.)
Even the Hailo app was useless for finding a taxi. I would have thought more drivers would swarm the area when there’s a large concert on.
An hour?? It’s probably less than 2km
Were you walking backwards on you hands and knees???? The yellow house is 5 mins from Marlay Park….
Ah yeah thats totally 5 mins away
http://bit.ly/1mgtas5 (Google maps)
Dublin bus have been doing concerts for as long as I can remember.. And when they are asked by the promoter to do it there is plenty of buses to bring the the crowds home.. Whoever did it last night obviously got there money before the gig wether it be online or pay on the bus and left people behind because private operators don’t care as long as they get there few quid before the gig.. Dublin bus get in touch with the gardai and are given priority going into the venue and leaving the gig and people are brought into town and dropped on the way in there if asked.. When you won’t something done you ask the professionals to do it because you know no one will be left behind and that you will be home at reasonable hour because that’s all the crowd want to do is get out there quickly & safely…. So promoters of concerts get dublin bus only company that do it right!!!!
Walked home from that place many a night to Harold’s Cross Nightmare to get home from
Had to walk from Marley Park to Donnybrook because there was absolutely no chance of getting a taxi. Ridiculous venue for access and I’ll be very reluctant to go to a gig there again.
ah but ye will, its like giving up cigs, once you break the habit you’ll never go back. best of luck with the habit.
Last night was just badly organised(transport wise). Was there for longitude last year and had no bother getting home
I left the venue immediately after the last song and was in a taxi inside of 5 minutes and home 15 minutes after that. Couldn’t have been easier!
Us too. Moved to the back for the encore, then legged it as soon as Wake Up finished. So glad we did leave so quick and found the waiting taxis up the road, slowly disappearing further and further back as people got in to them.
I was not expecting Grange Road to be closed like it was. Completely different to the three days at Longitude last year, when there was always taxis waiting right outside after the show ended.
Great solution. So once people are prepared to miss the end of the show they paid to see, they’ll have no problem getting home. You should go work at Marathon.
Walked up to the Dublin bus lines, not being the first to leave the gig, I guess we were lucky to get a seat…but many were going to the last bus of the line, queeing for a while when walking 2 minutes up the queue could get you in one bus straight away.
Marlay Park is a terrible venue anyway to get there.
Don’t understand why the promoters don’t get Dublin Bus to do the transport they have a proven good track record when it comes to concerts !!!! It’s all about the money the promoters don’t give a rats arse how people get home
Was redirected the longest way by Gardai, who had blocked off roads we could have gone home. Eventually got a taxi at Bushy Park after walking a fair bit. No harm done, and worth it for the amazing gig.
Signs to left of stage said city centre and buses, very mis-leading!!They were only private buses and this is clearly not best exit for city.I was one of those on m50 roundabout. Disaster end to a great day!!Puts me off Marlay Park!!
I was driving. Took me over an hour to get out of the car park it was mayhem. 1 guy was directing all the traffic a total disaster. Didnt get home until after 1pm. Disaster.
Tried to book a Marathon bus ticket online. Bookings were closed a day in advance but it didn’t say that anywhere on the site. I found that out later. Got to Customs House Quay at 4pm. Massive queue. 2 staff trying to control it and sell tickets. They told us there might be a bus by 5 or 5.30 but had no idea if there would be enough buses arriving to meet demand. Having already bought our return tickets we decided to leave that queue and walk to O’Connell St and get the 16. A Dublin Bus coordinator told us that they were prohibited from tendering for the Marlay Park gigs by new NTA rules. But the Gardaí had asked them to provide extra buses anyway, which they did. Within minutes of getting to O’Connell St there were loads of 16 buses pulling up taking on passengers. Heavy traffic but we got to the park just after 6pm. When the show ended there were signs pointing to buses, carparks and shuttle buses in different directions, contradicting each other. Event staff had no idea which exit to take. By sheer luck we picked the correct one and got to a Marathon bus. People without wristbands were turned away and not told of an alternative transport option. No signs to tell people where the Dublin Buses were leaving from. Very badly managed. Dublin Bus would have coordinated things way better. But they should at least have been allowed to advertise that they were also providing extra buses and put up signs directing people to them. MCD need to sort this out.
Having had a feeling it would be a nightmare to get out of I drove up and parked in the carpark. Traffic congestion going home wasn’t helped by the garda setting up a check point at a set of traffic lights a few hundred yards outside of the carpark exit right after the gig ended.
Good work lads, real helpful.
Also not helpful….. The lack of a site map with exits, car parks, drop off points marked, a visible taxi presence and a way for taxis to get near the venue. There’s also very little signposting around, we accidentally found the official carpark while trying to find a housing estate to dump the car.
Still at least there was ample staff at the bars for once.
Yes good work lads. I can’t think of More sensible place for a checkpoint.
We walked to Dundrum from Ballinteer until around 1am – only got a taxi by complete fluke when two other people offered to share – ended up driving into town with them and then turning the taxi around back to blackrock – crazy hundreds of people walking to Dundrum even saw people walking as far as Goatstown and Belfield. We were the lucky ones.
You poor thing. Your poor legs must be wrecked after 3km walk.
We had the same problem getting a bus out to Marlay Park, ended up getting a taxi instead. On the way home we were looking for a taxi for about 15 minutes and were lucky enough to come across a free bus organised by Whelans that brought us straight to Camden St. Sounds like we were lucky.
Fantastic gig too!
Was about to get on the 14 and the bus man told everybody to get off anddrove off. Dublin bus you suck.
Definitely report that to Dublin Bus and ask wtf happened!
Maybe he was finished work.. Dublin bus didn’t provide the service for the concert so they don’t have to give you a lift because they are a transport company..
Presumably Rosie was on the bus doing the full route from Dundrum to Beaumont, and got chucked out midway. Not the first time I’ve heard of it happening either.
MCD as usual not taking responsibility for this how long more will they continue to rip people off with this monopoly they run .
It is not physically possible to walk from Marlay Park onto the M50.
Anybody who has ever driven on the M50 will be familiar with the continuous high wall along that section of the road.
Its very possible to walk to the m50, use your legs and walk to it
I find it’s much easier to scale a wall while not in the car.
Unless your car is a transformer, walls don’t worry those lads.
Drove to the gig last night – that was a disaster also! Took an age to get out of the car park for no apparent reason – thought it might have been the buses which would have been fair enough but nope it wasn’t. There were no sign posts along the pathways exiting the gig to direct people. The same for driving out of the venue … got to one T-Junction where there were loads of Gardai standing about and one just waving people on but giving no indication of direction hence everyone stopping to see which direction to go! That was the last Garda I saw … saw the people climbing onto the M50 unbelieveable!
Stayed in Jurys Inn on Custom House Quay. Booked Marathon bus tickets online. Bus to Marlay Park parked about 10 minute walk from concert venue. Left concert 15 minutes early and got bus back to Custom House Quay no problems whatsoever. Some pampered hipsters just love a moan. Idiots
You left 15 minutes before the end just to make sure you got home on time?
That’s just sad.
Yeah, I only went to see Pixies.
Absolute nightmare getting home after gig last night not helped at all by the gardai who gave incorrect directions. Shuttle buses full and luas had finished operating by time we arrived at station. Hailo app wouldn’t function due, I would say, to large numbers trying to access cab. Had to start a solo walk towards town as friends were going in opposite direction. Finally managed to grab lift with random couple who stopped to offer lift
#jumpedinnoquestionsasked #strangerdangeroutthewindow
Mosney was always a good venue for gigs ie winter party etc but unfortunately that location in now temporarily non viable
Walked for an hour and a half and eventually got a taxi on the N11! Mad stuff
Saw Muse in Marley Park about 4/5 years ago…..getting to and from there via bus was a nightmare. Swore I would never go to a gig out there again – and haven’t. But I’m really annoyed for all those people last night cause it sounds like things haven’t changed. Marley Park is a really nice venue but woefully served for transport etc.
Dublin bus need to put on a shed load of buses like they did after Longitude last year. Just send out 75 million Dublin buses and there will be no problems. That Marathon sports bus thing was a joke. Luckily I live right beside Marley, but loads of my mates had to sit it out in mine till after two to get a taxi. Not one to be had in the city at all. We rang several companies and all had waiting times of over an hour.
I agree that 75 million buses should prove adequate to ferry home the concert goers in relative comfort. Of course, we’ll need to begin work on a major road-building initiative without delay, as well as orchestrating mass immigration and bus driver training schemes.
Could they not ring the mummy’s, or were they to drunk
Used hailo for the first time, shared taxis with other people, did a half hour of walking after the gig cost about 20quid for two people to get there and back, don’t see how people could have fecked up going home from a concert
What I don’t understand is why isnt there a city-affiliated body that steers the ship in coordinating the logistics of moving large amounts of people about the city at the same time? I live in Auckland, where the locals constantly complain about public transport, yet if there is a concert or big game on in a council owned park or stadium, there is a concerted effort by all stakeholders to get people to and from the gig/game safely, preferably avoiding driving. Usually your ticket includes a “free” train or bus to and from the transport hub in the city centre and whatever grounds you’re going to. It’s safe and widely used, and easy to grasp. You’re deposited back by the main train and bus depot(and sometimes to further out town centres if you live away from the city), and within walking distance of food and drink outlets. Dublin should be an easy city to get around, with a well established bus service, luas and trains, but it’s a mission (and daunting) to get to gigs in places like Marlay Park, especially if you don’t live near or have traveled from the country to Dublin to attend. Why we don’t have a people friendly system I don’t know, it would save the Gardai a heap of hassle.
I went to a metallica concert in marlay park years ago and hundreds of people had no transport. There were no taxis, no buses. Luckily a Dublin bus driver stopped for us and lots of other tired concert goers. The whole bus sang “hail to the bus driver” never been so pleased to be on a bus into the city.
I’d say a big part of the problem was the multiple exits. I (just about!) got my bus to town from the College Road entrance, but that’s right by the M50 and a long enough walk to Grange Road for a bus when surrounded by lots of people. I assume there was an exit and pickup points at the Grange Road exit, too, so you’d have had a much easier time getting home from there I’d say.
I’m actually fcuking dreading getting to KOL on Friday.
Get the 61 or 15b and walk from Ballyboden side… It’s feck all to walk and will be faster than the 16 in the traffic. Walk out that way for the taxi also as everyone will naturally what towards Dundrum.
This is ireland. If you want to be able to get around, start saving for a bike or a car or a motor bike. Its the only way.
We got one of the marathon coaches from custom house quay at about half 6 out to Marley. We nearly fell over when we realised they were charging €15 per person to get there and back!!!!!!! We really just needed to get going though so we paid up.
I should have checked it out in advance especially when the bus driver drove out through the port tunnel and onto to the m50 to get to Marley!!!!!
It’s MADNESS charging people €15 for a round trip. In saying that we got on a bus really fast coming home and the driver dropped us off on the n4 because we were going back to Lucan.
dublin bus charged €20 when they ran the bus service to and from marley park back to the city and that was 2004/5 for the white stripes and new York dolls
I’d love to know did half of these people who say it was a nightmare getting home do there research before hand , i’m a well travelled concert goer and marley is one of if not the best outdoor venue in ireland , now I know I have a friend in the area and it’s easy for me to get out of there (I was at Newlands cross at 11 without missing any of the gig) but if I was in the car park I would be ready for at least an hour to wait to get out , when I buses to marley it was a piece of cake with dublin bus they all lined up and the people at the top of the que got on , if you had not come out with them they had a ticket van , it seems to me MCD are taking the easier (cheaper) options ,usually after a concert there the road outside is open and we’ll policed but last night it was totally shut down which may have been a garda over reaction , but honestly people are expecting the Luas to still be running ? , as for the people who climed the wall down onto the m50 should have been arrested if caught , I mean come on have some common sence
Disaster getting back to town, got a taxi in terenure at 1.20am
Had to walk ? Ah god love ya’s
Taxi Regulator chose this day to weed out rogue operators.
Shed load of taxis didnt go to work!
Wonder why that happened?
Any ideas Vinnie/John???
Download the hailo app will be huge advantage when trying to get a car
Traffic restrictions may mean you’ll walk a bit but you will at least know the car is there for you
We couldn’t get anything on Hailo at all. Even when we pulled the little man right out of the area. There was nothing showing up anywhere.
In future people should walk, cycle or get the luas and walk.
Saw loads of people with bikes locked right outside the front gate who were able to just hop on them and spin hope, best idea.
I knew grange road was going to be closed so parked just outside it, was no hastle getting home.
Yup, me too. Most of my mates cycled. I parked at a friend’s about a 20 minute walk away – only thing I found annoying was people walking in the middle of the road surrounded by empty paths.
Transport home from a gig should not be contingent on booking a bus ticket prior to the event. I brought my 14-year-old son with me to Arcade Fire and, although we both loved the gig, I won’t be bringing him to any other gigs at Marlay Park, as the two-hour journey back to the hotel had him almost in tears.
Walked down to the quays around 3.30 Sunday afternoon for the shuttle bus, had just missed one but got put on the next one which left before 4 so was in the venue well before 5. Stayed till the end and then walked back to where we’d been dropped, bit of a Q but the buses were leaving as soon as they were full so it moved reasonably quickly, got back into town around midnight handy enough, the driver was happy to drop people off en route at Hueston Station etc if it suited them rather than bringing them back into town. Seems the issue was with people who didn’t book in advance, book in advance here if you’re heading out there this week and you should be okay. http://www.bushiredublin.net/
Just strolled down to Rathfarnam and got a cab straight away. I didn’t notice any “chaos”…
Is there a car park at Marley park?
Yup. You just need, you know. A car.
have your say