It was more a case of champagne cider than 'Champagne Supernova' yesterday as 80,000 music fans descended on Slane to see Oasis rock the castle for the first time in 14 years.

The loyal legions of fans braved lengthy traffic jams and forecasts of heavy showers; an estimated 3,000 people arrived by 1pm, a full seven-and-a-half hours before Oasis took to the stage.

A late surge on tickets meant that one of the gigs of the summer was a sell-out, which was music to owner Lord Henry Mountcharles' ears on the day he launched his own brand of whiskey.

Dozens of security guards were on duty at the River Boyne to ensure that ticketless fans didn't attempt to swim into the venue, rather than going through the turnstile.

The sell-out show was an impressive achievement for a band whose musical heyday was back in the mid-1990s when they enjoyed multi-million sales of their debut album, Definitely Maybe, and follow-up What's the Story (Morning Glory).

Helping, no doubt, was the Gallagher brothers' Irish ancestry; their estranged dad Tommy is from nearby Duleek, Co Meath, and mother Peggy Sweeney is from Charlestown, Co Mayo.

Proof of this was the presence of more than 150 extended family on the guest list for yesterday's show.

Joked Noel to one local reporter: "I know I've got Irish blood because I wake up every day with a hangover."

Whatever reputation the Gallagher brothers have for trouble-making, concert organisers were taking even less chance with their fans; all potential weapons were banned from umbrellas to blow up chairs.

Unconfirmed reports said Oasis had increased security for the show. You could forgive Noel Gallagher for being a bit edgy afterbeing attacked by an Irishman onstage in Canada last year.

First to take the stage at 3pm were Mullingar's The Blizzards in the Slane tradition of getting a local act to warm up the PA. The group, fronted by Niall Breslin, put on an impressive show and could claim to have the youngest fan base of any of the group on the bill.

They were followed by Scottish band Glasvegas at 4pm and Leicester's Kasabian at 5:30pm, playing a mix of songs from their chart-topping album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

The Prodigy came close to a no show. Less than an hour before their stage time, they still hadn't arrived in Slane, disappointing Lisa Cannon and a crew from TV3's Xpose who had pre-arranged an interview. Sources reported spotting the band drinking champagne in the Four Seasons hotel at 11.30am. The band's performance last night was, however, a true crowd-pleaser featuring old tunes like 'Firestarter' and 'Smack My Bitch Up'.

Among the VIPs at the gig were soccer player Stephen Ireland, justice minister Dermot Ahern, Labour's new MEP for Ireland East, Nessa Childers, and Irish football star Gary Kelly, who told the Sunday Tribune: "It's great to be back home and seeing them [Oasis] in Slane."

Meanwhile, the headliners themselves took to the stage at 20.40, opening to huge cheers with 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', in a set that thrilled fans throughout the night.