‘I thought the pub had burned down’ BAR MANAGER BOMBARDED BY TEXTS AS BROOKS DROPS IN
ON THE CASE: Saoirse
THE BAR manager of the pub where country singer Garth Brooks dropped in for a sing-song has told how he was at a wedding at the time — and got so many text messages he thought the pub had burnt down.
Ahead of his two final gigs at Croke Park this weekend, Brooks’ latest trip brought him to Dingle in Co Kerry where he dropped into Dick Mack’s pub on Tuesday, stunning locals and tourists alike.
The Friends in Low Places star posed for pictures with fans and even sang a version of one of his most famous hits, If Tomorrow Never Comes, on the pub’s out-of-tune guitar as he sat casually among the punters. He also sang Billy Joel’s Piano Man.
Finn McDonnell, who is the fourth generation of his family now running the pub which was first opened by his great-grandfather Tom in 1899, told The Star last night: “He did good!”
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Finn has also spoken of how he didn’t know why his phone was beeping continously with messages on Tuesday while he attended the wedding of his longtime barman Eanna Durham and new wife Kat in the UK.
“I thought there was a death or the pub might have burnt down,” Finn said, before he finally managed to check his phone and was flabbergasted to see a video of his head bartender Dara Ryan with the American superstar.
“Before we knew it everyone at the wedding was talking about his visit to our pub and sharing the video,” Finn said.
“I woke up on Wednesday, a little bit hungover, but happy to check all the commentary about the visit and video on social media.”
He said “Everyone in the pub had a great time. We have a tradition of people coming in playing impromptu tunes on the pub’s guitar.
“We’ll get the guitar tuned for our next visitor for sure!”
Garth also visited John Weldon’s Jewellers in Dingle with his wife, country singer Patricia Yearwood.
Later the couple visited Wicklow on a “second honeymoon” where they sampled the sights of Glendalough.