EXCLUSIVE BY PETER KELLY, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT in Croke Park, Dublin
Estimated thousands of Irish-American fans flocked across the Atlantic to Dublin for a thrilling Garth Brooks weekend.
They joined the history making almost half-million fellow devotees over the five-night specials in Croke Park, the stadium home of Irish Gaelic football. The long-awaited events have been some eight years in the making. A sea of cowboy hats adorned the legendary GAA ground, with the crowd singing back Brooks’ tunes at full volume, causing the emotional singer to repeatedly stop and shed tears.
“YOU…CAME…BACK!” roared the Oklahoman country star at the crowd who duly responded with affectionate chants of ‘ole, ole, ole’ back at their idol.
At several points Brooks was visibly floored, fell to his knees and took off his signature Stetson in respectful awe of the packed-to-capacity stadium. Such theatrics whipped up further frenzy and he left the stage to reach out to embrace ravenous fans.
Some 50 cameras are reputed to be following Brooks’ Irish visit, and he is accompanied by a production team from US streaming channel Netflix who are filming a documentary special called ‘The Homecoming’ around his Irish extravaganza. Strict secrecy surrounds where the TV crew will be accompanying the star throughout rural Ireland as he is expected to interact with locals in small villages and pubs between his two weekend gigs.
Concert-goers were treated to his stand-out hits including Friends in Low Places, The River, We Shall Be Free, The Dance and Standing Outside The Fire. Brooks who had arrived in Dublin airport from the US in his private jet on Tuesday, opened with a resounding performance of his hit Ireland to wow the local scene.
Brooks’ recording-breaking appearances in Dublin accompany his tally of eye-watering statistics including selling out both Elvis Presley and The Beatles, according to the Billboard website.
Fellow-country singer and wife Trisha Yearwood joined the 60-year old on stage for a duet of Shallow from the 2018 film A Star Is Born. Yearwood is Brooks’ former backing singer and has achieved solo chart success herself. She performed her hit She’s In Love With The Boy to the Dublin stadium.
Garth Brooks’ passionate set was spiced with shouts of “let’s raise some hell”, “I love it here”, and “Ireland, you rock!” as he teased the crowd and wrapped the Irish flag around himself on stage to a whooping response. The affection was certainly mutual.
For many in the audience, it was a treat of a lifetime and a very personal event. College academic Sinead De Faoite had tickets for Brooks’ canceled 2014 concerts, which coincided with a distressing year of brain tumor diagnosis, surgery and thankful recovery. And all during pregnancy. She brought a celebratory sign to her coveted front row spot, the 2022 concerts contrasting the two years – now fully recovered, successful and enjoying not one but three nights at Croke Park. Netflix filmmakers spotted the sign, interviewed her and Sinead will likely feature in the documentary special.
For many US and Irish fans this was the second eager attempt at seeing the country music icon after the 2014 ticket cancellation controversy. But it was clear the hurt is now healed, and a case of ‘Brooks repairs unanswered prayers’. Many pitch and standing tickets became coveted 2021 Christmas presents after they went on sale last November.
Garth Brooks spends this week touring undisclosed Irish locations before completing his historic five-night run at Croke Park next Friday and Saturday evenings.