Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Five Got Friends in Low Places
» 400,000 people buy golden passes to see legend’s Irish return » But some residents hit out at extra gigs for next September
COUNTRY superstar Garth Brooks nearly sold out Croker five times over yesterday as 400,000 eager fans snapped up tickets in record time.
The Ticketmaster website was swamped by people scrambling from 8am looking to secure golden passes to the first two gigs on September 9 and 10.
They were snapped up in a frenetic 40 minutes with 160,000 selling like hotcakes.
By 8.40am a third gig for September 11 was announced and by 10am a huge 200,000 fans had booked their place in GAA HQ to see the star.
Then shortly afterwards, two further dates were confirmed for
September 16 and 17. By early afternoon tickets for all five gigs were almost sold out with only a few scattered solo seats available.
A delirious and excited Brooks last night thanked his Irish fans and tweeted: “Just waking up to the news.unbelievable. All my love to you.”
The concerts are worth €60million to the Irish economy with hundreds of thousands of country fans booking accommodation and set to splurge cash on hotels, guest houses, food, drink and taxis.
Ticket sales alone will rake in millions. The frenzy for tickets – that led to 300,000 people queueing at one stage – came seven years after the Friends In Low Places crooner controversially cancelled five concerts in 2014.
Brooks also sold out all five gigs at GAA HQ back then but pulled out when planning for all of the concerts was not granted after objections from some residents.
This time, the 59-year-old multimillionaire was initially granted permission for two gigs as part of Croke Park’s planning permission agreement for a limited number of annual events.
But earlier this month, Dublin City Council granted an event licence for three further concerts to Aiken Promotions following a planning procedure that included public consultation.
Brooks’ fans were over the moon ahead of the biggest country music hoedown in Europe, but also a sense of frustration and disappointment from some residents who hit out over the approval of five concerts.
Thrilled superfan and Croke Park resident Susan Mangan said she believes “95% of local people” are pleased the country music icon is playing five nights.
Susan, 39, from Ballybough, added: “I’m thrilled the five concerts are going ahead. There’s
already a buzz around the gigs next year and can you imagine what it’ll be like next September when he arrives, the eyes of the world will be on our area.
“I think a big majority of the 25,000 people living around the stadium and about 95% would be in favour of all the concerts because of what it brings to the area in terms of local jobs and that’s a big plus. There’s four
primary pubs on that main road, Clonliffe House, The Bridge Tavern, The Ref Pub and Lowry’s Pub.
“They’re all family-run pubs and they’re all our neighbours that own those pubs and the concerts are going to bring a much-needed boost after Covid to those people and the shops as well.”
More than 400,000 fans were left disappointed in 2014 – including Susan – when the plug was pulled
on the five hugely anticipated concerts.
Susan, who was ecstatic to meet the country superstar on Monday with her daughter Millie, eight, and get a hug, said: “I took a selfie with him and I got a picture with my daughter and it was amazing to actually get to talk to him.”
Susan, who sadly failed to land a coveted ticket yesterday, is very hopeful she will get in to Croker to see The Thunder Rolls singer and has offered to work as a rovin’ reporter.
She was so busy answering media queries, she lost her place in the queue.
Meanwhile, Jack Hejduk, the manager of the Daybreak store on Clonliffe Road, said: “It’s a great opportunity for us in terms of the business and in terms of profits.”
Ed Sheeran’s two concerts next April will bringing the possible total number of shows in 2022 to seven, however, the usual
maximum number of concerts per year is three.
Colm Stephens, from the Clonliffe and Croke Park Area Residents’ Association, believes the staging of five concerts is “unacceptable”.
He said: “Many people will try to move out of the area when Garth Brooks is there and abandon their houses during the concerts.
“It will be a serious consideration for people. Unfortunately, it will be in school term time.
“We may have to get off-site to make room for Garth Brooks to make millions on the backs of the Irish people.”
Geoff Barker, a local resident for 10 years and a married dad of two young children, said: “No I’m not happy at all because we were consulted over two concerts and the extra three has come out of nowhere.
“They passed the two, which we opposed.”