Cowen speaks to Minister over second rave at Offaly monastic site

Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Deputy Barry Cowen has again reiterated the need for Minister of State, Kevin Boxer Moran to intervene in what he has called the misuse of Durrow Abbey House and Monastic Site.

Deputy Cowen spoke with Minister Moran after the Offaly Express reported that another rave may be held in the Abbey in the coming weeks following a similar event on New Year's Eve.

Deputy Cowen explained, “While it says the location is ‘secret’, a quick search on Facebook will tell you that there is a rave to be held on Saturday, March 30 from 10pm to 5am in an Irish castle. It says this follows on from the success of the first rave held on New Year’s Eve."

“Tickets are €25 for entry, bus tickets are anywhere from €15 upwards with buses due from Dundalk, Maynooth, Drogheda and many other towns. It is a ‘bring your own alcohol’ and according to Facebook 528 people are going while another 1,700 are interested in going. Aside from everything else, this raises huge questions on crowd control and health and safety," Barry said.

“The Durrow High Cross Committee, who have been fighting for the development of Durrow Abbey House and Monastic Site as a tourist attraction for over twenty years, were told by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) that the site could not be sign-posted as they deemed access to the site to be dangerous."

“If it’s dangerous for would-be tourists, how is it safe for over one thousand revellers at a rave? The development of the site as a tourist attraction would bring much needed investment to the community with knock-on benefits to the wider area. It is a reasonable and sensible request, one which Minister Moran needs to examine without further delay," concluded Deputy Cowen.