THE days of strolling down Dublin’s Grafton Street and listening to music blaring from every angle could well be coming to an end.
This evening, Dublin City Council will meet to discuss the introduction of busking bye-laws for the first time.
If approved, the proposal will result in an outright ban on electric amplification on the iconic street in the capital.
In response, street performers are taking to social media to appeal to the council to save their livelihoods.
Keywest, an Irish band that regularly sets up on the renowned street to entertain the passers-by, has taken to Twitter in a bid to prevent the ban from going through.
The band has released a video, calling on the council to allow street performers to continue doing what they do best.
Please RT if you want to support and keep the music and art on our Dublin Streets! #SaveIrishBusking https://t.co/hMUwWkBqRs
— Keywest (@Keywestofficial) February 1, 2015
Keywest are not the only familiar faces on the music scene in Ireland to grace Grafton Street to entertain tourists and natives alike.
U2, Glen Hansard, Rodrigo Y Gabriella and Paddy Casey have all performed on the street.
Tonight’s meeting of Dublin City Council will see the representatives voting on whether to have an outright ban on amplifiers or impose a noise limit on musicians who perform on the street.
Other issues up for discussion include ensuring there is a 50 metre gap between buskers and introducing a permit system for would-be performers.
