‘He’ll be able to say that he was at Gallagher Hill with his friends for his 15th birthday’
Mikey, pictured amongst the crowd wearing a hat in the bottom right, visited Gallagher Hill on all five Heaton Park shows(Image: Ryan Jenkinson | Manchester Evening News)
The mum of a teenager who celebrated his birthday at Gallagher Hill has said he described it as the ‘best day ever’.
Mikey Murphy, who turned 15 on Wednesday (July 16), attended the congregation spot for all five of the Oasis shows at Heaton Park with his friends.
His mum, Hayley, said she was initially hesitant at allowing him to go but said he and his friends all had an amazing time and made memories that they will cherish forever. Situated outside the Heaton Park concert site, it earned its nickname for ticketless fans who had convened together at the spot to hear the concert.
“We initially didn’t really want him to go to all five nights, but then I was like, it’s a once-in-lifetime experience, isn’t it?,” Hayley, from Blackley, told the Manchester Evening News. “When is he ever going to get to do something like this again?
“He went with two of his mates and he just said he had the best time. He said it was pretty chilled the first few nights and there weren’t many people there. They just hung out on the grass and sung along to the music. He said the atmosphere was great.
Gallagher Hill proved to be a popular spot for ticketless Oasis fans(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“Even on Sunday with the reports of people fighting, he said that most people just tried to carry on and have a good time.
“Every other night that he went, he literally said there was no trouble whatsoever. The first night that he went, I was a bit nervous about him going and we made him come home like 20 minutes before the end.
“I just didn’t want him to get stuck in all the chaos and as soon as I picked him up, all the fireworks went off. He was like “why have I missed that?” So, the rest of the nights he stayed til the end and rode his bike home.”
Gallagher Hill was at the centre of attention when organisers put up a fence to block out the view of the concert from those who had gathered outside. Fans without tickets had also been advised not to attend the area, but Hayley said it was harmless and most attendees behaved and respected the area.
Thousands of fans headed to ‘Gallagher Hill’ near Heaton Park to hear the Oasis shows(Image: Ryan Jenkinson | Manchester Evening News)
“He’s just absolutely loved it and I just thought its brought so much to all these kids who don’t really have much going on,” she explained. “It’s quite a deprived area and there isn’t much for the kids to do, so to be able to go on the hill for free and not cause any trouble has been perfect for them.”
Hayley, who had tickets for Sunday’s show, said she doesn’t believe any other city will be able to replicate the spirit of Gallagher Hill like Manchester has. “People have been wondering if there will be fans trying to make their own thing at Wembley,” she said.
“I just can’t see it, they won’t be able to do it like Manchester. It won’t be the same, or have the same energy. This just felt very Mancunian.”
And speaking of seeing Oasis, Hayley said it was a ‘fantastic show’ and even better knowing her son was not far away enjoying the same show, albeit in a different capacity. Gallagher Hill even got a shout out by Liam during the show, whilst tour promoters also said that the band had wanted to honour the area in the show.
Hayley Murphy (top centre) with a group of friends at Sunday’s Oasis gig at Heaton Park
“Me and Mikey’s dad have always been big Oasis fans and we’ve brought the kids up on them,” she explained. “It was the best concert I’ve ever been to. We went as part of a big group of about 30 of us and it was just so special. The rain didn’t ruin it at all.
“We just keep on saying we’re all on a massive Oasis comedown right now. We were even considering trying to get some tickets for Wembley as it was just so good.
“We had tried to get tickets for their last show at Heaton Park in 2009 but then they split up so we didn’t think we’d ever see them again. Mikey wasn’t even born then.
“What I love is that in 25 years when he’s got his own kids and whatever, he’ll be able to tell them about this and say that he was at Gallagher Hill with his friends for his 15th birthday.”