The same policing plan is being adopted at this year's Slane concert as was used at both U2 concerts in 2001, with 100,000 people expected to converge on the Meath village on Saturday.
The headline act is Red Hot Chili Peppers, who supported U2 at their two concerts, and although they are not due on stage until the evening the concert will begin at noon.
At the joint Garda/MCD promotions' press conference yesterday, there was a stern warning to anyone thinking of spoiling the last concert of the summer of 2003. "We have the mechanism and infrastructure to deal with any hooligan elements," said Garda Supt Eamon Courtney.
He said a special court will be sitting all day in Slane. "We are not out to be a killjoy but that small minority who come to cause mayhem will be swiftly and severely dealt with." There will around 800 gardaí and 800 MCD security staff on duty on the day.
Among the Garda personnel will be members of the water unit, aerial support unit, dog unit, mounted unit and drugs unit as well as public order units.
"The only negative feature that impinges on this area is the river Boyne which claims victims annually apart from the concerts and that being so we have dedicated massive resources to it with the underwater unit assisted by Drogheda River and Sea Rescue unit and members of Meath Civil Defence," said Supt Courtney.
Garda checkpoints will operate from 1 p.m. on Friday until around 3 a.m. on Sunday with traffic diversions. They have asked concert-goers to arrive on Saturday morning and leave that night, as there are no camping facilities.
A large volume of traffic, particularly from Northern Ireland, is expected to use the Drogheda bypass motorway. Gardaí have warned that private motorists will be allowed to access Slane from that route but coaches and mini-buses will not. There will be large traffic signs on the motorway giving advance warning of the routes operating.
The tickets for the concert are sold out and gardaí have appealed to those without a ticket not to buy from a ticket tout. "The chances are they are not genuine and you will not get past the checkpoint without a genuine ticket," said Chief Supt Michael Finnegan.
Mr Justin Green of MCD appealed to fans to use the public bus service and to bring sun cream and sun protection on what is a large greenfield site which has no natural shade. There will be free water stations around the concert site and people should use them and not risk dehydration.
At the conference tributes were paid to Supt Courtney who is retiring. Mr Eamonn McCann of MCD said his professionalism at running the show will be missed and his replacement "will have a large set of shoes to fill".