This morning, more than a few people will be waking up with that morning-after-the-night-before feeling as Smithfield Square and residents recover from the first of a series of concerts in this new civic space.
Last night's concert by the Manic Street Preachers is followed by the world-renowned Buena Vista Social Club tonight. The story of how the public square became a commercial venue is complex, and the source of much anxiety to local residents.
In March 2000, Aung San Suu Kyi, the members of U2 and Paul McGuinness were conferred with the Freedom of the City, and the ceremony and free concert marked the high-profile debut of Smithfield Square as a major civic space.
The notion of using Smithfield as a civic space was first mooted in the framework plan of HARP (Historic Area Rejuvenation Project) as part of the bigger ambitious plan (including the O'Connell Street Integrated Area Plan) to regenerate in stages the swathe of inner city from O'Connell Street right up to the new National Museum at Collins' Barracks. With the first phase (1995-1999) completed, last year tentative plans began for events on the square.
Smithfield and the surrounding area (approximately 104 hectares - the size of two 18-hole golf courses) is steeped in history. In the 18th century, the area boasted the Smithfield market, Haymarket, Ormond Market and Green Market. St Michan's, founded in 1092, lies within its borders and is the oldest church on the north side of the river. Despite having been a bustling, lively area, boasting vibrant community life, and major sites of architectural and historic significance, various stages of decline set in from the 19th century. In the 1960s, the closure of the distillery and the departure of manufacturers from the area heralded a grim period of decay, exacerbated in the 1980s by the increase of drug use in the city.
In 1999, the old Smithfield site was transformed into a large cobbled and granite-paved area about the size of two GAA football pitches. The Irish architects Michael McGarry and Siobhan Ni hEanaigh designed the major urban civic area. Over 400,000 120-year-old cobblestones were lifted, cleaned by hand and relaid. The regeneration plan also aimed to attract developers and businesses into the area through tax breaks and incentives.
Consequently, a host of new apartment complexes have been built, attracting many young professionals into the area. The LUAS stop will also increase access to Smithfield. In Dublin Corporation's press release of December 1999, Smithfield Plaza was touted as Dublin's future premier civic space, which "will host all major civic events from now on". Smithfield was the location of the finish line for the Dublin City Marathon, and it has played host to other smaller events. However, the first year of Smithfield's life as a civic space has been dominated by the scheduling of paid concerts.
Trying to distinguish the reality of how the space is to be used amid the cacophony of dissenting voices would tax the skills of the best diplomat. The administration and manner in which the plan was put to local residents has stirred up a hornets' nest. The main areas of contention centre on the number of concerts, consultation with residents, the sale of liquor at the events, toilet facilities and the consequences of up to 10,000 people coming into the area on the concert dates.
Residents' groups complain that promises to allay their fears about safety, disruption, access to their homes and antisocial behaviour have not been kept.
Officials from the Corporation insist they have done their best and, as this is in effect the first time the space is being used in this way, the events constitute a learning process. According to Anne Graham, of the event management section of Dublin Corporation: "Dublin Corporation accept that, in order to put a long-term plan in place, further effective consultation must take place with all interests in the area".
The promoters of the majority of concerts, MCD, emphasise their event management plan complies with all safeguarding aspects necessary for such events, and they have worked closely with the guards on issues of traffic and safety. Justin Green of MCD, citing the company's long track record in organising large-scale events and festivals, says: "We pride ourselves on our expertise in organising large events. Our number-one priority is safety".
Last week, Judge Timothy Lucey criticised Dublin Corporation over the vexed question of a drinks licence for events and conditions pertaining to them. Joan McConvey, chairwoman of the Smithfield Residents' Committee, says: "We were told Dublin Corporation were not in favour of drink. It was not their policy."
The promoters have applied for a licence on private space, which is normally a car park, for two bars. Permission has been granted for two bars within the venue, with space for 900 people in one and 300 in the other.
Graham says: "When we made our initial inquiries from the planning department about whether planning was required for the bar, the opinion received was that planning permission was required for the change of use of the site from a car park to a bar facility. We responded to the residents' queries on that basis. That opinion has now changed. It is seen that the bar is part of the concert site."
It's not just the sale of alcohol - and its potential for anti-social behaviour - that has drawn fire from the residents. The number of concerts - now eight in total - and the information provided about them has caused a stir. James Kelly, resident at 81 North King Street and an architect with extensive planning experience, says: "We were notified by Dublin Corporation that there were going to be a series of concerts; nine of them were planned at the time. It was a case of `this is going to happen'. People were very upset about that. The first two concerts were the 4th and 5th of May, two in June, and there were five scheduled in July.
"Immediately following that, the residents stated they were not happy with this. It was felt that this was an excessive number of concerts, given the agreements over concerts which had previously been reached by Croke Park and Lansdowne Road residents with the GAA and the RDS, and in both of which two concerts per year were agreed."
Jim Keogan, project manager of HARP, says: "When nine concerts were pencilled in for this year, we assumed what would happen was that half of them would be gone. As it transpired, there are eight in total for this year. What we've said is that eight appear to be too many from the feedback we're getting. We've made a commitment that there wouldn't be more than four or five next year, and spread over the year." Concerns have also been voiced that Dublin Corporation was allocating and closing off what is effectively a public space which is supposed to be used for civic purposes. Kelly says: "The residents wanted a number of very simple guarantees, one of which was an indemnity provided by the Corporation to the residents in the case of any damage to private property or public property.
"You have a situation here where the majority of people who are concerned are actually living on the space where the concerts are going to take place. This isn't like Croke Park or Lansdowne Road, where there is a separately contained space. In that respect it is unique."
The residents are anxious about noise, and the possibility of people urinating or vomiting in their gardens. They are afraid that the sale of alcohol will not be adequately monitored. Additionally, they fear their houses will become virtual prisons, as the area will be sealed off, with restricted access only.
Passes have been issued to residents to allow them access to their homes but local residents have not received concert tickets and those living in apartment buildings will not have access to their roofs for the duration of the gigs. No contingency plans have been made for a funeral or removal of remains if a local person dies over the period.
The issue of fencing in the plaza for safety reasons also represents the privatisation of a public space. "I don't think anybody is claiming that the fences shouldn't be there," Kelly says. "We would expect public safety issues to be addressed. However, there is a privatisation issue. The local community wants to see civic events taking place. "We want to see public performances.
If concerts are to take place on the square, and if we're to suffer the consequences of those concerts, we're prepared to do that, but they should be free entry concerts to the citizens of Dublin. We're not opposed to these events per se. We're not killjoys."
However, Keogan says there is a commitment to community events, and these will all come in time. "We have retained the services of Inspired, the event management company, to advise and assist in relation to developing a programme of cultural and community events. "That happened this year. Now the regrettable thing is, on the markets front, we were doing a lot of research to see how best we could bring them back into the area. But what happened was, from early this year onwards, the concerts issue took over everything. Since then we've been more or less involved in the whole issue of the concerts. It's new ground for us. We're not concert promoters. There has been a lot of controversy in relation to the concerts, and a lot of concern from certain residents that the concerts are going to have an adverse impact.
"Really, since January, we've been to-ing and fro-ing, trying to resolve the issue as best we can through consultation with the residents, statutory bodies and the promoters themselves. And it's meant that the entire resources of that section have been tied up to the detriment of developing further the range of other uses for the space."
Despite disappointment over the concerts issue, local groups received good news this week about their appeal against the building of a 23-storey complex on the west side of Smithfield Square.
The issues thrown starkly into focus by the civic space debate raise questions about fundamentals, such as the nature of consultation and how much commercial interest will be involved in decisions about how the square will be used. There is no denying that a remarkable transformation has taken place due to the HARP project. To date, some local employment has been created through Chief O'Neill's Hotel, Ceol, the Irish Music Interpretative centre and the Distillery Museum and visitors complex.
Keogan believes there will be many new jobs, as well as a vibrant cultural life in the area, once the raft of plans in the next phase of urban renewal gets underway. A community centre housing MACRO (Markets Area Community Resource Organisation) and many other community projects is due to open on North King Street this summer. The original HARP framework plan and the Department of Environment guidelines and all good practice for this ambitious type of urban renewal project emphasise consultation with the local community and tangible benefits for the community. As the saying goes, watch this space.