Source: RollingNews.ie

GARDAÍ WERE FORCED to shut down the annual Christmas Eve busking session on Grafton Street this evening after just three songs due to the volume of people who turned up.

DailyEdge.ie reports singer Glen Hansard, who led this evening’s session, announced that all proceeds raised would go to the Peter McVerry Trust and the Dublin Simon Community.

Hansard was joined by other performers like Gavin James, Damien Rice, The Coronas.

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However the crowd became so large that gardaí had to ask performers to finish up early. Addressing the crowd, Hansard said:

I hope that you can understand that we are in a delicate position with the law – a lot of us up here – and we need to do the right thing. We’re either going to have to move this or we’ll end it and we’ll call it in good grace. Thanks a lot for coming, and thanks a lot for giving your support.

Source: Sasko Lasarov/RollingNews.ie

One man told TheJournal.ie that the crowds were “insane” and that he was afraid he and his daughter would get crushed as people tried to move to the front.

The Garda Press Office said gardaí were engaged in “crowd management” on Grafton Street but denied they shut down the event. However garda sources at the scene confirmed they ended it early after receiving a high volume of complaints about the crowds.

An event to mark the turning on of the Christmas lights on Grafton Street also had to end early due to overcrowding. Organisers said at the time that it was cut short due to concerns over safety and comfort.