An emotional Garth Brooks broke down in tears on stage as he finally took to Croke Park to headline his first of five historic gigs last night.
The Friends In Low Places singer fell to his knees in awe of the long awaited night, as he began to belt out his hit songs to a screaming loud crowd.
Choking back emotion, the 60-year-old said: “We came back. I just want to enjoy this moment. I love you.” As the crowd chanted “Ole” to comfort the singer, he added: “That was so sweet.”
Read more: Croke Park 'like Tennessee' as Garth Brooks fans arrive for first gig
He added: “I don’t know what words could describe this, and the return since 1997, so I’ll not try. Icame here for one purpose and that was to raise some hell.
“Dublin this is what it is going to be like all night long,” he added, before draping himself in an Irish flag as he performed his hit, The River.
Up to 80,000 fans excitedly flocked to GAA headquarters yesterday to enjoy the first night of a weekend
of Garth-inspired country music celebrations.
Dressed in blue jeans and his statement Stetson cowboy hat, the country music legend took to the lit stage with some of his biggest hits, including Friends in Low Place, Rodeo, The Dance, Callin’ Baton Rouge, The Thunder Rolls and That Summer.
The singer also performed some of his own favourite tunes such as Don McLean’s American Pie, Billy Joel’s Piano Man, and A Star Is Born hit, Shallow, which he performed live on stage last night alongside his wife Trisha Yearwood. Showtime was due to kick off at 7.30pm, but it was 8pm before Brooks took to the stage as fans packed into the sold out stadium.
But Brooks, who is filming the historic events, promised that he would squeeze in as much as he could in the show before curfew kicked in at 10.30pm. Garth will take to the stage again tonight as the sold-out gigs will see 400,000 fans descend on Drumcondra over this weekend, and again next week, on September 16 and 17 due to popular demand.
The fans who had come from far and wide to see Brooks last night put on this show were certainly on a high.
A widow who planned to attend one of the cancelled concerts in 2014, told the Irish Mirror she travelled from the UK yesterday for two shows in her late husband’s memory. Cheryl Ling said it emotional making the trip after the death of her husband Allen.
She added: “I have flown in from Herefordshire, for two nights at Garth Brooks. Myself and my husband had tickets for the last show at Croke Park in 2014 that sadly was cancelled, and we swore we would go together if he returned.
“Sadly my husband passed in November 2020. I’m going to the two gigs for me and my husband, I know he would love that.
“I want Garth to know I think he’s amazing and this is a very emotional weekend in Dublin for me.”
Meanwhile, Cora McHugh, 21, from Co Donegal travelled to last night’s sell out show with her mother. She said: “I love country music and I was brought up with it. I love dancing and singing to it. I came with my mother Catriona and we are staying overnight. We got the bus down and we can’t wait to hear my favourite song The Dance. We are huge fans it’s going to be an amazing night”.
Sisters Bernadette Hoy and Catherine Conway came down on the train from Lurgan to see their idol. Bernadette said “Twenty years ago we were at the Belfast concert.
“You can’t beat the country music, we’ll be dancing all night. We came down on the train and are travelling back on it. It was absolutely full on the way down, the atmosphere was amazing.”
Read Next:
- Garth Brooks Dublin: Everything you need to know about the upcoming Croke Park concerts
- Garth Brooks Dublin: Ticketmaster issue important tips ahead of Croke Park gigs
Clontarf to city centre cycle project to see bus stops moved or removed along route
- Daniel O'Donnell delights locals as he pops into north Dublin Centra to pick up some 'wee Smarties'
- South Dublin smoke warning as Dublin Fire Brigade tackle workshop blaze
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox
