The inconsistency of rules on public gatherings has been described as 'infuriating'.
Speaking on Deise Today, Colin Shanahan of Digicol Media said it was great to see 'normality' with 40,000 fans at Croke Park for yesterday's All-Ireland Hurling Final.
However. Colin cannot see why only 200 people are allowed attend live music events when 40,000 are allowed at sporting events.
"If they can do it - why can't we? It's the inconsistency of the rules that is absolutely infuriating for people. What we seen yesterday were scenes of normality. We've all been striving to get back to this. This is why we are all getting vaccinated. Everything that we have done for the past year is to get back to this point. 7 days ago, I was involved in a gig on the quay in Waterford that was funded by the government. It was restricted to 200 people, we had over 2,000 apply for tickets - but 200 people were left in."
Shanahan says that it's unfair that musicians are going through so much to play music when sporting stadiums are moving gradually toward pre-Covid capacity.
Colin says he has no problem with the GAA and live sport, but he believes the inconsistency in government guidelines is 'mind-boggling'.
"Why are we going through such a rigmarole and such an ordeal just to play a bit of music, and yet, in Dublin - they can come and go as they please. They can turn up, they can queue up outside the pubs, go into a game, stand beside each other and cheer for the team. I'm not knocking it, I'm delighted to see it. We either all can, or we all can't. It can't be 'you can' but 'you can't'. The inconsistency is mind-boggling. This doesn't just affect musicians, it's all across the board."
He noted that newlyweds cannot have a first dance at their wedding, people have not been able to accompany their partners when in labour, but sport has seen spectators increase.
"The anger is not toward the GAA, they're only doing what they're told. I'm a wedding photographer, I see it at weddings, couples cannot have a first dance but thousands of people can scream and shout at a match, without any repercussions."
The Waterford musician says the pandemic has taken a huge toll on people within the entertainment industry, to the point where some have taken their own lives.
"I know people who have had their livelihoods taken away. They haven't been able to work for 18 months. I know people who have taken their own life, because of the situation they have been left in. They were given no roadmap. They were given no indication to when they could go back. They were literally told, you're closed, deal with it - and you've two choices, get on with it or 'go and get a real job''.
