A MINDER for a "very sensitive" dog and full-time security protection for a private house were offered at the Galway District Court yesterday when a judge gave permission for the Saw Doctors' 20th anniversary concerts in Galway city next weekend to go ahead.
Pascal Mullery, a solicitor, objected at Galway District Court to applications by Valerie Dolan, Ballinacura Road, Limerick, for the granting of an occasional drinks licence and the use of a marquee tent at St Enda's Secondary School, Threadneedle Road, Salthill, Galway, on Saturday, July 26th and Sunday, July 27th next.
Mr Mullery, whose private residence backs on to the school grounds, gave evidence he was objecting on behalf of nine of the residents of the 12-house estate, known as The Gardens, where he lives, on Threadneedle Road, Salthill, Galway.
He said the granting of a drinks licence was inappropriate for a school grounds and that the concerts were not special events, as the Saw Doctors had planned a whole series of concerts around Ireland this summer.
The Saw Doctors' manager, Ollie Jennings, gave an undertaking to the court that he would ensure Mr Mullery's house would be protected by security fencing and security personnel for the entire weekend, to ensure that fans attending the concerts on both nights would not interfere with his property.
Mr Jennings said he had been made aware that Mr Mullery's dog was very sensitive and he offered the services of a professional dog-handler to Mr Mullery, who would care for the dog on a one-to-one basis for the entire weekend.
Mr Jennings said Galway Arts Festival director Paul Fahy had refused his request to hold the concerts in the Festival Tent in the Fisheries field, adjacent to Galway Cathedral, even though the tent will be empty on both nights next weekend.
Mr Mullery said he and three other objectors were in court, while Adrian Ledwith, for the applicants, said he had three more residents who had no objections to the concerts going ahead.
In granting the applications, Judge Mary Fahy said she did not want the matter to become a divisive issue among the residents of such a small housing estate.
The concerts, she said, were marking a special anniversary for the Saw Doctors and the gardaí had no objections to both concerts going ahead.
She said she believed it would be wrong to take the personal objections of one person into account when 6,000 people had already bought tickets.
"Galway is en fete at the moment and will be for the next couple of weeks," the judge observed.
She added Mr Jennings had given a personal undertaking to the court that local residents would not be inconvenienced and that security would be at a very high level.
"He is putting his reputation on the line by saying that and the licence is being granted on the understanding that these concerts will be run in a very professional manner," Judge Fahy added.