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IT IS GOING to be a cruel summer for members of An Garda Siochána in Dublin: leave for gardaí has been cancelled for the final days of June due to the Taylor Swift concerts.
Taylor Swift arrives into Dublin to play the Aviva Stadium on 28, 29, and 30 June. It would usually be a case of no body no crime* but in this instance Taylor and her following of Swifties have led garda management to declare the three days as an ‘extraordinary event’.
When this happens, gardaí can be stopped from taking leave and special measures are implemented to ensure that there are enough gardaí to police the city.
Many of those fans are going to stay out too late, go on too many dates, that’s what people say, so An Garda Síochána management has directed the move on one of the nights, 29 June, to implement the measure.
Commissioner Drew Harris is making sure there will be no teardrops left on Taylor Swift’s guitar.
The move is not without its bad blood and anti-heroes, however. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has raised an issue about the need for the declaration.
They said, in a missive to members today, that they are normally contacted when the extraordinary event status is enacted in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
In a statement to The Journal AGSI also said that they had identified deficiencies in the antiquated rates for Subsistence and Travel Allowance
The group said it is becoming increasingly difficult to police major national and international events due to ongoing resourcing issues.
AGSI also noted that the latest declaration of an extraordinary policing event is in contravention of some of the principles of the Working Time Directive which An Garda Siochana and all representative associations have signed up to.
AGSI Acting General Secretary, Ronan Clogher said: “AGSI has sought to reconvene a meeting of the Midlands Working Time Agreement forum to address the consistent and recurring problems that our membership has experienced in recent times surrounding the processes to be utilised as the result of the declaration of an extraordinary event and other issues.
“In a departure from normal practice, the National Executive received no prior notification or consultation from Garda Management regarding the declaration of the 29th of June 2024 as an extraordinary event in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
“Subsequently we were contacted by our membership of Sergeant and Inspector rank regarding the lack of sufficient notice and clarity surrounding this extraordinary event.”
AGSI say ongoing challenges of resourcing constraints means it is becoming necessary for Garda Management to have to declare additional extraordinary events to provide a policing service.
This problem, say AGSI, is further exacerbated by long standing issues around subsistence and travel allowances which are currently before the Workplace Relations Commission.
The current rates of Subsistence and Travel are at 2002 levels having last been adjusted in 2009 with a 25% reduction due to the financial emergency.
These rates have remained static since 2009 and are completely unrealistic considering the current cost of living.
A garda spokesperson said: “An extraordinary event is in place because of the high volume of events happening in Dublin city and environs across a number of days.”
As well as Taylor Swift, the spokesperson noted a number of other concerts, festivals and sports events taking place across the weekend, including Pride, All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals, Longitude, Flavours of Fingal, and concerts by The Saw Doctors and Villagers.
*The Journal’s news team provided additional reporting to come up with all the references and puns in this article. You’re welcome/we’re sorry.
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Always a heavy Garda presence at gigs where the fans pose little to no trouble.
Never around when it’s scangery music
@J M: that’s completely untrue.
@J M: what’s scangery music?
@Michael o Dwyer: the type of music blasting out of scangers phones on buses
@J M: *Skanger
@Michael o Dwyer: Maniac 2000 comes to mind. An abomination if ever there was one.
@The Kenn: thanks for correcting my spelling, I hope you get an enormous sense of purpose from taking your time to do so.
It must be tough to police all those teenage girls! Batons at the ready lads!!
@Sean Money: it must be tough if you’ve booked your holidays and had your leave cancelled. How long ago was the concert announced?!?!
@Sean Money: I’m sure there will be a few beta males there too lol
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: that would not be nice now. The gards will be extra angry beating everyone senseless.
@Sean Money: Muppet
@Sean Money: donkey
@Sean Money: Not alone is it a stupid comment it somewhat sexist, body to the guards and the people attending the concert and how all the people that liked it so at lot about their mentality
Have the Riot squad on standby for when the bars run out of Slush Puppies.
Jesus did ye copy and paste off the Irish Sun
The amount of middle aged men, of which I’m one, coming on here to give out about a young woman at the top of her game selling out a gig to her demographic is beyond belief. Ok, her music isn’t my cup of tea but the world would be very boring if all music was the same.
@Colin Howard: Modern radio music kind of is though?
@Colin Howard: Therein lies the problem. Ms. Swift has a monopoly on the industry.
@Colin Howard: It’s laughable
@Colin Howard: I’ll hazard a guess and say a lot of them are the same people that have an issue with Greta as a person.
@Pól Pot: She’s certainly been a bit of a maniac lately with her 6278 variants of each album determined to keep everyone else off number one, but her ubiquity doesn’t stop us from listening to and seeing all of the other artists out there. There’s a big ole industry out there for us to enjoy.
Why isn’t the dpp appealing the lenient sentence for that soldier ,just as bad and inbred as the judge in my opinion
More overtime for the lads chatting up young ones
@Stevie Doran: No amount of overtime and young ones is worth having to listen her for hours. I’d rather be anywhere else.
@Ger Whelan: I’d say you have never listened to any of her songs. To be fair her music isn’t for grandads.
No. Just no.
What will the gardai do tomorrow night for Rammstein? 40,000 metallers at the RDS!!!
@Paul Crudge: aside from Swedish house Mafia in the park a number of years ago, has there been any major issue with gigs? What do you want the gardai to do? Cancel it or something?
@Paul Crudge: Looking forward to it
@anthony davoren: their job. Dublin and Cork are horrible with assaults nightly
Well done to her. Wouldn’t be my cup of tea but there’s an Irish private on the loose for random attacks on women.
What rubbish
Richard Ashcroft tonight. Proper music.
@Eric Gaffney: I would have loved to seen RA tonight but I wouldn’t be a huge Pearl Jam fan to justify buying a ticket. Hopefully RA comes back soon to do a stand alone show.
@Eric Gaffney: ashcroft is a genuis
@Colin Howard: Saw him in Delamere Forest last year. Absolutely brilliant. As a soon as Ashcroft leaves the stage I’m gone.
Comment open on this? And not the big elephant in the room?! Really?
@patrick kelly: that’s the journal for ya …… the journal is now the Irish government’s version of fox news ….
@patrick kelly: It’s been clear for a while now that comments are open on articles less likely to stir up people screaming and slinging their own shit at each other. Of course, this it the Journal so there could be an article about how nice ciabatta bread is and you’d still have people arguing
@Megan Ward: @Megan Ward: Clear for ‘a while’? It’s all about the readers comments and replies since forever. The subject matter rarely…matters. Although I appreciate your idealism.
@Keth Tgi: Yeah, a while, because it’s relatively recent that comments on most articles are closed. Previously it was rare that comments weren’t open and almost exclusively on ongoing court cases. Within the last few months, comments are closed on most articles and open on more innocuous topics – and with that, articles that DO have comments open get ‘oh ho ho so it’s ok to comment on this but not _____?’. Y’know, like the one I replied to :)
As someone with an investment in a hotel, I was delighted to implement a dumb tax on those attending lol
@John D Doe: Sap
Have the Riot squad on standby for when the bars run out of Slush Puppies. Ffs
@Gerard Carey: wasn’t funny the first time either
@Ronan Fahy: Oh Dear.
Comments closed on first ten topics today! Free speech, my ar-se
@Patrick MC Dermott: Didn’t realise it was the duty of news outlets to give you the right to comment on every article. Go to X and rant away on whatever topic you want. Free Speech and all
Sack tom o Donnell!!
We’re so greatful croke park didn’t get the green light 4 her gigs what a nightmare that would av been 4 their neighbours croker has gotten too big 4 their neighbours should be moved to Thornton Hall where that pitch is laying idol and @ taxpayers expence
@liam ward: *grateful
*idle
*expense
…and btw you don’t “av 2” shorten words with text speak anymore to save cash – it’s all free now..
@UK Hurling Bloke: wot u got agin ppl avng opinion.
I created this account just to say the author should be booed on sight. Some of the lames jokes of all time. I betcha they say hollipops. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
@Greg Rooney: That’s some forward planning Greg seeing as your account is over 6 months old.
@The next small thing: I’ve been patiently waiting for this moment. Also I’m gonna need you to get all the way off my back sir.
Open mic night in Tralee on Thursday.
Much better music (well of course I’ll be playing
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: well Tralee is a nightmare, so they’ll be delighted for a bit of respite
I think it was Socrates who was forced to commit suicide by Greek authorities for criticising the sometimes nonsense results of democracy. Here too we see a demography exercising their democratic decision to follow (what I would call) ‘indifferent’ music. In short, if one wishes to sum up a generation, judge them by their music hero. Compare other generations their heros: Bowie, The Beatles, the Stones, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nirvana, then think: Taylor…..Swift. Hmmm…..
@Keth Tgi: And she’s bigger than all of them, criticising people for what music they listen to and enjoy says more about you than them.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Oh I know!
@Paul O’Mahoney: I don’t take his comment as criticism and his comparison with previous generations heroes is purely from a music perspective.
Surely you wouldn’t compare Taylor swift to the artists he’s mentioned musically?
@Keth Tgi: I lament the choices young people have these days musically but I’m quickly put in my box when I voice it to the same young people. Apparently there is loads of great innovative music out there and easily accessible too. You just have to look further than Spotify.
I’m a bit lazy at this stage.
King Gizzard anyone?
@Bert Carolan: He would, and he did. But then he likes Taylor Swift. I rest my case.
@Bert Carolan: I agree with you. Music choice is like clothing choice: it comes down to stupidity or laziness. As with all generations there is exquisite current music.
@Bert Carolan: Why not popular music is exactly that popular. When I was younger late 70s I was a punk , new romantic, ska boy , and many more …..music shouldn’t define a person and it certainly shouldn’t be used as a criticism just because someone doesn’t like it , I don’t like Bowie for example
@Keth Tgi: I do like her especially her country stuff, but more as a young woman who has shown that she won’t take S**t from people who hurt her or the music industry who tried to quiten and destroy her.
So yes she has good songs and is a role model for millions.
No doubt you’ll have a problem with that.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Alright mate….alright. I’m actually more concerned now about your transition from punk to Swift. Although via new wave makes sense. Just going to ‘Fade to Grey’, and get on with my day. Peace!
@Paul O’Mahoney: No, I think anything a person adheres to defines one, and inherently becomes part of their social and psychological DNA however transient their preference. We are what we consume. Pink Floyd: Fine dining, Swift: Greasy burger. Bowie: Sushi.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Bigger than the Beatles? Hmm…. Jupiter bigger than Earth, but mostly gas.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Since when does quantity outweigh quality?
@Keth Tgi: yes but that makes no sense – Take That and Boyzone sold way more records than Nirvana or Radiohead in the 90’s, similarly for every Bowie in the 70’s, there was an Alvin Stardust or Showaddywaddy
@Keth Tgi: You’re remembering the best of the era, the likes of the Bay City Rollers and Village People had plenty of fans too.
@Athena: Oasis
It’s interesting how quick people are to knock Taylor Swift. She’s a formidable song writer and while not to my own taste, I can respect her ability as an artist and her incredible success. I feel sorry for so many people being so closed minded. It’s not quite the flex people seem to think it is.
Hopefully she has a seat on Aerlingus!!
I love her, she’s ruining my life.
Just dropped in for a drop of the utter misery from the usual *hitheads on here. People chose to pay for a concert and spend a fortune in the city for nights on end, oh what awful people they are because I don’t enjoy that singer….. Don’t like it, don’t go, let young people have some fun ffs
@Roisin Brady: Agreed – wise words. I think we can all agree great fun is being had by all.
It’s a national emergency.Red Alert!
Some of her music is actually very good. I am sixty two and am always open minded towards listening to younger artists music.
@Mike Dunne: Fair dues, 1990 is my cut-off.
hawk tuah
@Shimo F: she needs an only fans, will make a fortune lol
The Gardai are in some mess, the Commissioner & Minister must take responsibility. Law & Order has completely broken down, people don’t even bother reporting crime or calling the Gardai now & even if you get to court as we saw twice this week, the Judiciary & legal system will make the victim feel traumatized all over again.
What part of ‘extraordinary event’ does the AGSI not understand?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: extraordinary event equates to visits by the American President or a visit from the royal family etc….not your typical concert.
@anthony davoren: But this isn’t a typical concert, she’s a global phenomenon and as in all other concerts there will be big crowds outside signing along, I think one concert in the US had as many outside as inside……….
First concert tour to break $1bn in ticket sales and she is only 70% through.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: it’s not within the normal parameters of an extraordinary event. What is extraordinary is the resourcing issues. Previously events like these are well covered. But maybe if they get their 1000 reserves who they are essentially employing for being pretty much unpaid glorified stewards they won’t need to do it again.
@Paul O’Mahoney: get a grip, she is a children’s entertainer being professionally; managed and used to get their pocket money.
@Jim O’Sullivan: Really, she was voted the most influential woman for women, you and old for years.
People describe her as a beacon as she’s not afraid to call out men who either hurt her , she gives hope to young and old alike, paraphrase from NY times story and the author was not a fan going in , came out one.
Multiple Grammys writes her own songs , from Country to Pop
If you don’t like her fine, I’ll not be attending either but there is no denying her Global success and the millions if not billions of fans.
I think you need let those things that you know nothing about or don’t affect you slip past, at least that way you won’t look like a fool online.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Good post. Although Jim is correct as well. She’s an industry on her own. More power to her but I’d be amazed if her management didn’t talk in terms of Kpi, Metrics, targets (that’s as much business speak as I know).
I read once where once music became an industry it turned to crap. Same for any art in a way.
Rory Gallagher never played guitar to make money.
@Paul O’Mahoney: you mean she actually sets out to entertain adults! We sure have become venial
@anthony davoren: @Sean Parker: @Jim O’Sullivan: As the Guards are having to take extraordinary measures, then this is an extraordinary event.
I doubt if you or I have the knowledge or experience to determine what is or is not an extraordinary event for the Guards, but it is the Guards who have that ability.
And apparently they have done so for this event.
@Paul O’Mahoney: ‘Signing’? You mean singing? Or are earplugs required?
@Keth Tgi: You’re on fire mate.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Whilst not denying the scale of her success.. A number of tours when adjusted for inflation would break the 1 billion mark in 2024.. Also there’s a world of difference between ticket prices. Michael Jackson tickets for his Cork concert in 1988 were 16 punts. Adjusted for inflation thats still only about 40 quid today. She’s charging double that for gen admission and 110 for standing. Plus he wasn’t selling VIP packages for 800 bucks a pop. Touring has become the main moneymaker for Artists since actual record sales collapsed.. hence the ‘ record breaking ‘ tours.
@Brian: I was at Jackson and yes it was €16, Enjoyed Kim Wilde more, it was estimated that had ABBA did a world tour about 10 years ago it would have Grossed $1bn , most said rubbish no band/Artist would ever achieve that.
She has…….
It’s 2024 and are comparing apples and Oranges , she is on stage over 3 hours, with all the latest tech , Jackson was great but only within the capabilities available
@Jim O’Sullivan: Kids do love her but if they made her concerts 18 and over she’d still be selling out. The demand for this tour is insane, and it’s just disingenuous to make out that it’s only or mostly kids that love her. Many of her fans grew up alongside her, I’d wager the bulk are in 20s and 30s but the audience age goes wide either side.
@Brian: Well… The non-used mortgage savings left over from the rent, €7.50 pints and Netflix accounts gotta go somewhere. The dull-witted masses require their Ladanum to dull the pain.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Was at the gig also.. Most definitely enjoyed Jackson more ! ‘Tay-Tay’ doesn’t come close to his showman/woman-ship! And adjusting tours for inflation along with the now exhoberant ticket prices for concerts is entirely relevant when judging an artists touring success, suggesting otherwise is disingenuous. And Who said nobody would never gross a billio n dollar tour. It was inevitable with ticket prices these days
@Sean Parker: Same day as Pride in Dublin so two major events to cover on Saturday.
@Richard Keogh: true but still should be covered. None of these events are a surprise and have been planned well In advance and the numbers attending would of been known. The issue is that the demands on resources have Garda members doing to much OT for health and safety reasons to cover everything from events to investigations. Cancel everyone’s day off and there’s more of a pool to utilize.
This self-styled Miss Americana and girl next door type is indeed overrated and overhyped. But there’s nothing unusual about that nowadays. Her music and lyrics are formulaic and trivial. But, of course, she is a well-marketed, moneymaking product who travels by very high emissions private jet. Like so much else in the 21st century, popular music is utterly commodified. To echo a famous political adage, it’s the money, stupid!!
@James Hanley: And a poll, in January, was carried, probably for the craic, and it asked if She was running for President would you vote……82% said yes.
And who knows she’s only mid 30s and might give it a go.
@James Hanley: Eamon will stop her private jet for sure. Our taxes are going to good use.
Dear Friends in Music,
As a Non-Touring Independent Artist, it’s difficult to grow a fan base.
I’m looking for your help in building a bigger following on Spotify.
I would be grateful if you could open the link below and click the FOLLOW BUTTON and then click the follow button on my Spotify page.
Very much appreciated,
Thank you
Patrick
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/patrickwestman/all-my-colours-fade-to-blue
@Patrick Presley: ‘Darwin’.
@Keth Tgi: Thank you
I can sense a bit of Blue Flu in the air for those that had leave cancelled. Cough, cough, cough
I wonder will they bring their pepper spray with them like they did down in wicklow shame on them their parents must be so proud of them
Wonder will my granddaughter of ten be wanting to go to TS too?
The “Gards ” will be put to the pin of their collar to police the crowds!
Paddy my arse, makes a big deal of a concert, Paddy likes to feel important on the world stage, dream on
Would be if she’s hit by lighting…
have your say