Green light given to Laois Forest Fest to welcome ‘discerning’ festival-goers

The upcoming Forest Fest has been given the green light at Portlaoise District Court where the organisers were granted an Occasional and Dance licence to hold the event at Emo GAA club in July.

Laois solicitor Philip Meagher presented the application to Judge Andrew Cody at the District Court on July 11. Mr Meagher is also the event’s promoter.

Mr Meagher called as his witness for the applicant,  Mark O’Sullivan, who agreed that he was the holder of the full seven-day licence at the Gate House bar in Emo.

The witness agreed that Emo GAA club and Community Centre would host a ‘special event’ described by Mr Meagher as a ‘music and arts festival’  from July 19 to the early hours of Monday morning July 22.

Mr O’Sullivan agreed that he had been involved in the previous two editions which Mr Meagher said had run “very smoothly” apart from very inclement weather in 2023.

Mr Meagher informed the court that the security company contracted for Forest Fest is Security Partners. He said it is well-established and has provided services to the Old Fort Festival in Portlaoise. Mr O’Sullivan agreed that its staff were Private Security Authority (PSA) approved. The court heard that the PSA has been invited to be represented at the event.

The court heard from Mr Meagher that Code Blue, a ‘nationally recognised top three’ provider, was retained to provide the medical support on-site.

Mr O’Sullivan confirmed that Fire Protection Ireland would provide fire safety. Mr Meagher said the firm was one of the ‘top companies in the country’. A fire officer will also be onsite. 

The solicitor told the court the fire and medical providers have liaised with gardaí.

Mr O’Sullivan also confirmed that Whelan Waste was retained as part of the waste management plan for the site.

In reply to the solicitor, Mr O’Sullivan told the court that Martley’s Bus company would provide public transport to and from the event. Mr Meagher told the court that the Portlaoise company is one of the biggest in the country and provides a similar service during Electric Picnic.

Mr O’Sullivan confirmed the times that the licence sought would cover as outlined by Mr Meagher. He said the licence sought would cover from 1.05 pm on Friday to just after midnight. On Saturday and Sunday the licence would run from 12.05 pm to just after midnight.

In terms of alcohol provision, Mr O’Sullivan said drink would be served up to 11.45pm with an hours drinking up time after last orders. No glass vessels will be used at the event to serve alcohol. The court heard that those serving alcohol were also trained and experienced.

The court heard that music performance extends to 1.30 am on festival nights. 

In terms of entry, the court heard that the public will be able to access the venue from 3-4pm on Friday. Mr O’Sullivan agreed with Mr Meagher that the earlier opening on Friday was designed to facilitate media.   

Mr O’Sullivan agreed with Mr Meagher that patrons aged under 18 would only be allowed entry in the company of parents or guardians. He said special wristbands would be provided to children to prevent drinking by those underage.

Mr O’Sullivan added that Garda ID, passports or driver’s licence would be sought as proof of age.

Smoking will not be permitted in the marquee bar structures provided by Walsh Marquees who Mr Meagher described as “one of the top providers”.

Mr Meagher also outlined that the HSE has been liaising with the event team to engage with all the food vendors before and during the event.

As for local residents, the court heard that there are 12 houses in the immediate vicinity and a further 60 homes in the wider area. The court was also told that noise management and lighting effects plans were in place to minimise the impact on the residents. Mr O’Sullivan agreed that no complaints were lodged with the authorities in previous years.

On traffic, Mr O’Sullivan agreed with Mr Meagher when he said a very detailed traffic management plan was in place which had been developed with a garda team. The solicitor said the gardai were more qualified in traffic management than any other in the country due to the Electric Picnic and Ploughing Championships. The final traffic meeting was due to take place on Thursday last.

The solicitor added that Laois Garda Superintendent Eamon Curley had indicated that there was no objection to the granting of the licence subject to four conditions.

Mr Meagher told the court that public liability cover of up to €10 million had been taken out on the event to cover any losses by the landowners. He added that the normal cover was €6.5 million.

After the questioning, Judge Cody quipped that the solicitor had made it to the “Guinness Book of Records for asking 60 leading questions in a row”.

Commenting that the Forest Fest was an ‘excellent, very well planned event’, the judge asked Mr O’Sullivan what he meant by the “discerning audience” that Forest Fest is aimed at. 

Mr Meagher told the judge that with “the age profile and the quality of the music, we’d like to think of our guests as discerning”.

The judge wished the applicants the ‘best of luck’ with the event and said he had no problem in granting the licence subject to conditions.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said there are no objections but there were four Garda-specific conditions. These were an event plan, a traffic plan, independent confirmation of ticket sales, and confirmation of engagement with residents. All four must be agreeable to gardaí and produced by July 18. He added any other conditions deemed necessary by Gardaí to safely run the event must also be met by the organisers.

Mr Meagher said the organisers agreed.