The Irish Times

A year after the concert furore, the civic plaza at the heart of Smithfield is still shamefully under-used, and residents have only recently been consulted about its future. Remember the hype about this time last year? Eight concerts were to be staged on Smithfield square. In the end, only two happened, as part of the 2001 Heineken Green Energy Festival, the others being transferred to Marlay Park because of resistance from Smithfield residents. Now, another Heineken Green Energy Festival later, and still Smithfield's civic square lies dormant. The most exciting public space constructed in the capital for decades remains sadly under-used.