Gardaí ‘confident’ of bringing prosecution





Anton McNulty and Ger Flanagan

The organisers of all-night raves that took place in a field outside Castlebar on Friday and Saturday night last are already planning another, The Mayo News can reveal. This is despite drugs having been found on rave goers by the Gardaí.

Gardaí were made aware of the events by local residents, who complained about the noise levels coming from a private field in the Kilkenny Cross area on the Friday night.

The Gardaí subsequently set up checkpoints around the venue and obtained a search warrant to search the venue and vehicles coming to the event.

Up to eight people were found to be carrying drugs, believed to be cannabis and ecstasy, on their way to the rave. No drugs were found inside the venue.

A woman in her 30s from Cork who was arrested for possession of what is believed to be ecstasy will appear before Cork District Court on Thursday on foot of a bench warrant after she was previously charged with possession of drugs in Cork.

Up to 200 people attended the rave on Friday night, with a smaller crowd attending the Saturday night event.

One person who lives in the locality said the music was ‘extremely loud for anyone living in the area, and it continued throughout the night both on Friday and Saturday’.

It is understood that the Gardaí did not have the legal power to shut down the raves. However, a file is being prepared for the DPP, and a garda spokesperson said they were confident of bringing a prosecution against the landowner and the organisers for unlicensed dancing.

Despite this, The Mayo News has learned that the organisers of last week’s rave are already planning to hold another event in Castlebar in a couple of weeks time.

‘Roll on the next one’

The invitations for last weekend’s rave were sent out through Facebook and other social media outlets, with people from as far away as Cork, Limerick, Shannon, Galway, Belfast and Newtownards attending.

Gardaí also encountered one mother who brought her 18-year-old daughter to the rave from New Ross in Co Wexford as a birthday present.

One DJ who played at the rave over the weekend told The Mayo News that people had travelled all the way from France and they could not wait for the next one.

“We all had an excellent weekend, the set up was perfect, [and the] sound system was even better. Everyone we met in there were like a family to us, the nicest people around. We made new friends that travelled all the way from France just for this event. This just shows the dedication that people give to these music events. Roll on the next one,” he said.

Another DJ told The Mayo News that the people who attended these raves were like-minded individuals who enjoyed the music. The general public are too quick to judge people, he said.

“There was a really good atmosphere. A lot of music was played that wouldn’t ordinarily be played in nightclubs or bars, as there is a huge stigma attached still to electronic music. We got to meet like-minded people and the have freedom to dance, without being judged, to our heavy bass lines and high-tempo rhythms.

“It’s hard in Ireland for our scene. We are painted as ruffians and drug takers. In fact, everyone is different and [that] goes for the music. There are all those people in every bar and club in the country and it’s seen as okay, but because we decide to have a party with something different it’s sometimes cruelly judged too soon.”