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| Garth Brooks calls off entire run of Dublin comeback dates | Garth Brooks calls off entire run of Dublin comeback dates |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Garth Brooks has called off his entire | Garth Brooks has called off his entire |
| run of Dublin comeback gigs after the city council refused to grant permission for more | |
| than three concerts at Croke Park stadium. Promoters said they had | than three concerts at Croke Park stadium. Promoters said they had |
| "exhausted all avenues" for staging the proposed five | "exhausted all avenues" for staging the proposed five |
| shows, which would have kicked off the country singer's first tour in | shows, which would have kicked off the country singer's first tour in |
| more than 13 years. | more than 13 years. |
| "It is with great regret that | "It is with great regret that |
| Aiken Promotions today announce that the five concert Garth Brooks | Aiken Promotions today announce that the five concert Garth Brooks |
| Comeback Special Event at Croke Park has been cancelled," | Comeback Special Event at Croke Park has been cancelled," |
| organisers explained on 8 July. "No concerts will take place." | |
| Ultimately, the problem stemmed from the quantity of shows. Although tickets for the five | Ultimately, the problem stemmed from the quantity of shows. Although tickets for the five |
| gigs went on sale at the end of January, promoters didn't apply for | gigs went on sale at the end of January, promoters didn't apply for |
| event licences until mid-April. By that time, 400,000 people had | |
| bought tickets, and almost 400 local residents and businesses had | bought tickets, and almost 400 local residents and businesses had |
| made formal submissions regarding Brooks' appearances. | made formal submissions regarding Brooks' appearances. |
| Last week, officials announced that | Last week, officials announced that |
| they would only allow three shows to take place, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 25 to 27 July. Croke Park is "in | they would only allow three shows to take place, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 25 to 27 July. Croke Park is "in |
| a heavily populated residential area", city council said in a | a heavily populated residential area", city council said in a |
| statement, and five concerts – with their accompanying noise, traffic | |
| and "potential antisocial behaviour" – would represent "an | |
| over-intensification of use of the stadium". Prior to 2014, | over-intensification of use of the stadium". Prior to 2014, |
| Croke Park had never hosted more than four concerts in a single year. | Croke Park had never hosted more than four concerts in a single year. |
| In response, Brooks issued a statement | In response, Brooks issued a statement |
| declaring he would do "five shows or none at all". "To | declaring he would do "five shows or none at all". "To |
| choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like | choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like |
| asking to choose one child over another," he wrote. Aiken | asking to choose one child over another," he wrote. Aiken |
| Productions later wrote that this statement "was not an | Productions later wrote that this statement "was not an |
| ultimatum, [but] an expression of genuine concern for [Garth's] | ultimatum, [but] an expression of genuine concern for [Garth's] |
| fans". | fans". |
| On Monday night, a narrow majority of | On Monday night, a narrow majority of |
| Dublin councillors voted to approve Brooks' quintet of concerts. But | Dublin councillors voted to approve Brooks' quintet of concerts. But |
| it was too little too late: city manager Owen Keegan stated that it | it was too little too late: city manager Owen Keegan stated that it |
| was not legally possible to change the earlier ruling. | was not legally possible to change the earlier ruling. |
| "[This is] an embarrassment [for | "[This is] an embarrassment [for |
| Ireland]," arts minister Jimmy Deenihan told the Irish | Ireland]," arts minister Jimmy Deenihan told the Irish |
| Independent. Enda Kenny, Ireland's Taoiseach, agreed that the matter appeared | Independent. Enda Kenny, Ireland's Taoiseach, agreed that the matter appeared |
| "to have been very badly handled". "[It is] a shock to | "to have been very badly handled". "[It is] a shock to |
| the system in terms of the economy of the city and the reputation of | the system in terms of the economy of the city and the reputation of |
| our country," he said. | our country," he said. |
| Many residents of Croke Park were also | Many residents of Croke Park were also |
| disappointed. "We were going to have friends down to come and | disappointed. "We were going to have friends down to come and |
| sit in the garden and listen to the music while the concert is on but | sit in the garden and listen to the music while the concert is on but |
| that won’t be happening now," one told the Irish Times. But others called it a victory for the neighbourhood: "I'm | |
| glad the residents association stood up for themselves and I’m also | glad the residents association stood up for themselves and I’m also |
| glad that Dublin City Council refused to be bullied by Garth Brooks | glad that Dublin City Council refused to be bullied by Garth Brooks |
| and Aiken," said Monica Heck. "For once, they put the law | and Aiken," said Monica Heck. "For once, they put the law |
| of the land above the lure of money." | of the land above the lure of money." |
| Brooks, who has sold more than 125m albums, announced in December that his family had given him | |
| the OK to go back on the road. The Dublin gigs were his first, and so | the OK to go back on the road. The Dublin gigs were his first, and so |
| far only, concerts to be announced. Brooks has now scheduled a press | far only, concerts to be announced. Brooks has now scheduled a press |
| conference for 10 July, where he is expected to reveal plans for a | conference for 10 July, where he is expected to reveal plans for a |
| broad world tour. | broad world tour. |