05/08/1978 Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland. U2 & The Hype Concerts 1978.
This is a complete list of known U2 concerts that took place in Ireland in 1978. I have spent many hours trawling the Irish Newspaper Archive, The Dublin Library and talking to those that were there, too make this the most complete document of U2’s early career. This site would not be possible without them, the Dublin Library & the Irish Newspaper Archive.
05/08/1978 Phoenix Park, Dublin
Attendance; 3,000
Support for; Horslips, De Dannan, Clannad, The Bach St Kids, VHF, Biro’s, Revolver, U2, Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers, Brown Thomas
Admission; Free
Set; Unknown
U2 play the first of day of a 3 day festival at Dublin’s Phoenix Park. The Festival is titled “Free Peace Festival” and takes place on 05/06/07-08-1978. Up to 75 bands (mainly local) are due to take part over the 3 days. It all starts at 12 noon, and runs till 9pm each night. The stage is at “The Hallow” opposite the Zoo & the Wellington Monument. At the People’s Gardens there will be children’s theatre, mine & poetry. 50,000 people are expected to attend daily.
Irish Press Review
Over 3,000 rock fans shared the leafy comfort of The Hollow in Phoenix Park yesterday for the closing day of a “peace” festival which was anything but harmonious.
The three day programme of rock “n” roll for gentle souls was marred by the arrest of the organiser, William “Ubi” Dwyer, distension among the workers and the staging of a rival event.
A total of 90 bands, which were to have shared three stages throughout the park, were said to be “lined up” for the festival and an audience of over 50,000 was forecast. It opened on Saturday with only one stage, a handful of groups, a trickle of fans and a split among the workers.
The national parks and monuments branch of the Board of Works had approved a one day event at The Hollow only.
Blackrock Park concert
On Sunday, the weather improved and a bigger crowd – about 2,000 – turned up to hear a handful of groups.
But the use of members of a Hells Angels fraternity as bouncers left many wondering about the original theme for the festival.
Meanwhile, also on Sunday, a rival concert, organised after dissension over the arrangements for the festival, attracted several hundred teenagers.
A number of bands which had withdrawn from the Phoenix Park programme went on stage for the alternative concert at the People’s Park in Blackrock.
Hells Angels
Yesterday the Hells Angels were still being used at The hallow stage as a couple of young Dublin bands entertained the youngsters who were packed the natural theatre.
A spokesman for the organisers accepted that the festival had been “partially marred,” but felt that it had been a success in that it managed to survive, despite the weather.
The groups appearing at the festival were asked to pay a £10 levy to cover the costs of advertising and the hire of equipment, and a couple of benefit concerts for the event were held in Dublin recently.
