Longitude 2023 & allowing teens to go?

mumofteen2023 · 12-01-2023 10:06am #1

Longitude 2023, Marley Park, 2 full days , staying in appt with 7 other barley 16 yrs old 2 nights . What do u think?

Trigger Happy · 12-01-2023 10:28am

I live beside Marley and on Longitude days and do some volunteer stewarding. You see all sorts going to the gig. The majority of people going to Longitude are 16-22 and in great spirits and have a really good time. Proper coming of age stuff.

The majority are well behaved but you do see some very drunk/drugged people heading up there. Some of the girls do tend to be very scantily dressed but that's not an issue as long as they are safe and with friends.

What is an issue is when you see some of the kids very very drunk - male and female- and have been abandoned by their friends. That's when the local volunteers and Gardai and, sometimes, the ambulance service need to get involved to help.

I would say that it depends on your kids maturity and their friends. If you think they are mature enough to not get blasted on drink/drugs and to help each other if an issue arises then they would be ok. Having a responsible adult on call to help if an issue they cant handle etc. But otherwise...nah.

griffin100 · 12-01-2023 12:29pm

My son went at 16 (almost 17) last year for 2 of the days with a large group of friends but came home each night. Based on what he has said it's extremely difficult to get alcohol inside the event if you are u18 as they are extremely strict. Most people seem to drink before going in quite early in the day and sober up over the day. He and his mates only seen one fight and apart from that he said the atmosphere was very chilled and friendly. TBH I'd be more concerned with the after show behavior when there are less restrictions if it was my 16 year old.

bodhrandude · 12-01-2023 12:32pm

Is there a line up out for this yet?

Esel · 13-01-2023 12:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279295/longitude-2023-allowing-teens-to-go

What could possibly go wrong?

huskerdu · 14-01-2023 10:22am

I am also a local who has stewarded Marley Park gigs . The stewards on the roads outside are volunteers from the gaa club so mostly parents . It’s well organised and the stewards send their time helping drunk teenagers find their friends , McDonald’s , their parents who are picking them up . It’s good humoured and mostly well behaved . You do see a few kids too drunk to go to the gig by midday . The stewards look after anyone who needs help .

i agree with the above poster . It depends on your child.

I think I’d be ok with it if the friends are sensible and it’s been drummed into them what to do if they lose their phone etc . And to stay together

airy fairy · 14-01-2023 10:37am

I had one due to go in 2020 so never got to go and too old now! Anyway, I had questions like yourself, so get your concern.

Tbh, I'd assess teen behaviour between now and July, a lot can happen. Let a little freedom happen during midterms and weekends. You will get a feel for what direction your kid is inclined to go, and plus, more importantly, get a feel for the friends. Get them over for pizza, games night or birthday so it can give you confidence.

I've heard horror stories from longitude, but equally ones that have been good. I think the staying overnight bit would be my biggest concern. At the younger side of the threshold for longitude, I'd be inclined to say late collection from same especially when there's no older kid with them. Did I read your op correctly, they've got an apartment? How have they rented an apartment for 8 X 16 year olds?

Nah.....not the overnight craic.

RINO87 · 16-01-2023 9:49am

Ya I wouldnt be worried about the gig to be honest, but that apartment will be chaos 😂

ILIKEFOOD · 16-01-2023 12:41pm

The apartment would be the red flag for me. Could invite anyone back, that could get beyond their control.. and what about the unfortunate neighbours who have to deal with that too. Anyway to keep an eye from afar on that apartment?

I say this as someone who had massive sessions in my poor parents house when I was that age. Got out of hand once when local undesirables showed up.. also lucky that the drugs we took didn't harm us.

Depends on the kids, but it would be a no from me. If I had kids I think knowing how I behaved would really have me worried when they hit that age. Perhaps this gang are as a good as gold and it could all be fine. If you know them well then you're in a good position to make a call on it. If you don't know them then you don't know enough. I think it's a bad idea either way tbh.

Stillill42 · 18-01-2023 11:50pm

Gig fine, apartment bonkers.

bodhrandude · 19-01-2023 12:37am

What's the lineup for this.

Esel · 19-01-2023 12:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127475#Comment_120127475

..

unkel · 19-01-2023 12:49am

My eldest daughter went to the 2019 (pre COVID) longitude for the first time when she had just turned 15, with a few friends and some slightly older cousins of her friend. All 3 days but she came home or stayed with friend (parents collected them every night). They had a ball, like @Trigger Happy said, proper coming of age stuff. Drink was easy to get (via their 18 year old friends), but they were sensible, I think she had just one pint of cider, she didn't like having to go to those portaloos 😂 She's 18 now and half way through her second year in college, doing well.

Our job as parents is to deliver them as decent young adults, we have got to let them find their own way to a certain extent. My parents did that for me and I'll be forever grateful they did. It meant I could stand on my own two feet when I moved out of my parental house to live in a different city at the other end of the country when I was aged 18

flasher0030 · 20-01-2023 1:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127488#Comment_120127488

Exactly. People are being too precious. We want to protect our youngsters, but no point in wrapping them in cotton wool either.

Gangs of us went to Feile festivals in Thursles back in the 90s got locked, no mobile phones back then. We were 16. And we come back home in one piece (or just about in one piece). But we survived it. And it had ups and downs - rain, fights, hangovers etc. There will always be incidents - injuries, dozens brought to ER for too much drink/drugs. I go on the basis that hopefully my teenagers won't be part of that small minority. But I'm not going to shelter them away by taking them from their friends, just to be cautious. I'd clearly go through the dangers with them several times to make sure it is drilled into them what the various implications are of actions they may take (e.g. going off on their own, taking excess alcohol/drugs, boys on the prey etc.).

dball · 22-06-2023 10:44pm

My daughter is going with her friends and I've to collect her both nights. Is the traffic a nightmare when collecting

unkel · 23-06-2023 9:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752008#Comment_120752008

Pretty bad, particularly the last day. Presuming you come from the M50, it helps a lot if they walk as far as they can towards the M50. Then you can just let them in and do a U-turn

eastie17 · 23-06-2023 9:27am

Agree with others, concert yeah overnight no. My 16 yr old daughter is going with friends but are getting the concert bus up and back. They have done that before for concerts in the 3. Too young for the overnight in this context imho.

id have no issue with the overnight in other circumstances, staying with friends or relations

huskerdu · 27-06-2023 6:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752008#Comment_120752008

A lot of the roads close to Marlay Park are closed when the concerts end. The best place to pick someone up is Broadford Road. You can get there by car and avoid the worst of the traffic and its an easy walk from the park.

The roads around the park will have loads of stewards who are members of the local GAA club who will help with directions.