Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Brook who’s back in town..
Singing sensation jets into Dublin to officially announce Croke gigs
TEARFUL Garth Brooks said the 2014 concert controversy felt like “a death in the family” and admitted he has been too hurt to return to Ireland since.
But as the country star jetted into Dublin yesterday to officially announce his two new dates for Croke Park next September, he said all is forgiven.
The Friends In Low Places hitmaker admitted: “I never dreamed this day would come. I will just be real honest with you, I thought it was long gone.”
Speaking to the Mirror, the emotional star said: “We heard about two months ago it was possible… and we didn’t want to get our hopes up, so we just talked amongst each other.
“And even two weeks ago they still hadn’t voted or approved anything yet.
“So then when we got the call that it was going to happen and we were going to come over here, I just didn’t want to be too giddy and then when you get to walk out on that stage, God, that will be awesome.”
Dressed in denim from head-to-toe topped off with his trademark cowboy hat, Brooks burst into Croker in true country style yesterday morning.
It is eight years after “Garthgate”, where more than 400,000 fans were left disappointed when he cancelled five scheduled gigs due to a planning dispute.
And Garth said yesterday’s press conference marked his first time in the country since – admitted he has shied away in the past.
EMOTIONAL
Holding back tears at the emotional event, he said: “We just stayed quiet, and I thought we would stay quiet forever. I can’t believe the call came.”
He added that playing to an Irish crowd will be “heaven” after the controversy in 2014, which he admits he was not prepared for.
The best-selling solo artist in US history said he had never experienced anything like the incident in his life or career.
The 59-year-old added: “That is why I kept thinking, ‘Surely this is going to fix itself ’.
“Because the easy thing was, ‘OK, if I understand what the complaint is, let’s get these done and make sure it never happens again because these people have already invested their time and stuff.
“And that is how I thought it was going to go, so to hear it was actually no, I just wasn’t prepared for that.
“You probably couldn’t understand it was like a death in the family to us. “It hurt. It hurt, hurt, hurt.
“My thing is I try not to get emotional as it’s still very fresh. It’s like something I’ve never experienced.
“And one of those things where you go, ‘Surely this isn’t going this way, right?’ So, it was one of those things that was a little hard to understand.
“I’m not sure what it was over here, if it was half as bad as it was over at home, then it must have been pretty bad. I don’t know how personal it was, you guys always treated me like I was from here.
“If it was personal for you then you know all we all felt. We all went through it together. I’ve been around the world, there is no place like this. In Ireland, it’s the people that makes it the place you want to be.”
And the If Tomorrow Never Comes singer is finally ready to come back and close the chapter.
He added: “The chance to play for these people is a great thing. I don’t hold a grudge against anybody.
“It’s for those people who had those tickets. If they forgive me I will come back and play.”
Gushing about his home in Ireland, he added: “I played Central Park 1997, we filmed it, but Dublin doesn’t compare.
“Anybody who gets to play in front of an Irish crowd – it’s the greatest gift you can get. Croke
Park is my idea of heaven.”
The country legend was in town to personally announce his long-awaited return to Ireland next September, consisting of at least two concerts that are set to go on sale this week.
In 2014, he was due to play five concerts at the venue but pulled them all in a controversial “all or nothing” call when permission was only granted for three of the dates. Asked if he wanted to do five nights this time around, he admitted he’d love to but feels it would be impossible to perform a “miracle” of selling out that many tickets again.
He added: “I can’t imagine. For one, I don’t think we are addressing the miracle that happened in 2014.
“If that’s usual to you guys, it ain’t
GARTH ON 2014 GIG ROW: It was like a death in the family to us. It hurt. Hurt, hurt, hurt GARTH ON PLAYING DUBLIN: I don’t hold a grudge against anybody. Croke Park is my idea of heaven GARTH ON ADDING DATES: I’d love to do five [gigs] but I’d also like to be 6ft 5in and have abs
for us. I mean, who does numbers like that?
“So, you got 400,000 hard tickets in one city, one show. It’s impossible.
“There’s no way we’ll do that number again. There’s just no way.
“I’d love to do five, but I’d also like to be 6ft 5in and have abs,”
Garth’s new Irish dates on September 9 and 10 will mark the end of his stadium tour, and his only gig in Europe.
The Thunder Rolls legend believes everything works out the way it should.
He added: “What was meant to start this whole thing is now going to be where this whole thing ends.
“And if there is a blessing in that curse of what happened in 2014, it is the fact that there is a chance that this artist and the people that were sweet enough to get those tickets before now have a chance to hopefully see each other again.
“It is the greatest privilege and greatest joy an artist can have to play Ireland. It is the greatest heartache to be told you can’t.
“So this has been a roller coaster ride for me, I don’t know if it has for you guys, but I simply can’t wait.”
When asked if he would welcome those who strongly opposed the gigs the first time around to the new dates, including Dublin City Council’s Owen
Keegan, he said: “Yeah, anybody come to the gig.”
He added: “What you want to do is you want to put people in here and have them go, ‘Oh this is what they are talking about, this is love right here.
“And of all times, maybe we need love more in 2022 than we did in 2014.”
Meanwhile, on whether he’d welcome U2 legend Bono on stage to perform at the gigs, he added: “I can’t imagine because that is like Ireland’s son.
“He has got a wonderful statement that changed my life where he said, ‘It should not matter where you were born as to what life you live’ I didn’t even get that quote even close but I love the fact that he thinks that way and I think we all need to think that way.”
While he was on a flying visit to make it back home for Thanksgiving, the American performer said he plans to travel round Ireland with his country music star wife Trisha Yearwood when he returns next year.
He told he may even pop in to see the All-ireland finals on his way.
Dublin City Council have given the green light for five dates, so it is anticipated more gigs will be announced later.
Tickets will go on sale on Thursday on Ticketmaster at 8am.