Mixed response in Croke Park area to Garth Brooks news

Residents of the Croke Park area offered a mixed response to the news that none of the five Garth Brooks concerts are to go ahead at the stadium.

Seán Farrell, who lives on Elizabeth Street, said the development was “very regrettable” as it would have given a boost to the local economy.

“My sympathy is with the fans who would have spent a lot of money on tickets,” he said. “Will they ever get to see him now?”

Mr Farrell said there were some 27,000 people living near the stadium but only “a small minority” opposed the concerts.

“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 that won’t be happening now,” he said.

Drumcondra resident Monica Heck welcomed the news, saying events held at Croke Park were “a nightmare” for residents.

“I’m glad the residents association stood up for themselves and I’m also glad that Dublin City Council refused to be bullied by Garth Brooks and Aiken. For once, they put the law of the land above the lure of money,” she said.

“Garth Brooks and Aiken were offered the original three dates and I think it’s very churlish and says a lot about Garth Brooks that he was not graceful enough to accept Irish laws and blamed the promoter for messing up.”

She said “let-down fans should take their anger out on the right people; the promoter and Brooks - not the residents.”

Sarah McAvinchey, who lives in the shadow of the stadium, said the concerts should have gone ahead with none being put on again next year in return.

“I know people coming from the UK who bought tickets and flights and they’re’re stuck now. It was a very small minority who were opposing it, most people round here wouldn’t have minded the concerts going ahead,” she said.

Ms McAvinchey said there was a “bit of disruption” as a result of the recent One Direction concerts at Croke Park “but you can live with it.”

“The pubs and businesses round here are busy on match days but on a normal day there might be only five or six people sitting in a pub so local trade really could have done with the boost,” she said.

Enda McCabe, who lives in Clonliffe College, said it was “ridiculous” that the concerts were not going ahead.

“People are used to matches and big events round here, what difference would a few nights of a concert have made? Shops and businesses round here thrive on match days but it’s very quiet here otherwise.”

He added: “The American Football games are going to be on in the Autumn so I hope there’s not going to be opposition to them.”

Olga Larionova, who lives on Russell Street which is off Jones’s Road, said she was “surprised” by the news.

“I didn’t mind the concerts going ahead. Events in Croke Park are always well managed and don’t cause much disruption in the area.”

Another local woman, who did not want to be named because she had submitted an observation against the intensification of the use of the stadium, said she was “relieved” the concerts were not going ahead.

“I’m a parent of young children and I was very unhappy with the noise levels from other concerts and events that have been held here. The axing of the Garth Brooks concerts will make Croke Park think twice about their attitude to the people living around here.”

The woman said she and several other families living in the area had booked holidays to be away at the time of the concerts.

“The demographic of the area has changed and there’s more young people with families whose lives are disrupted when events are held in Croke Park. There were fireworks during the One Direction concerts and Garda Helicopters flying overhead so our children couldn’t sleep.”

The woman said she had bought her house in 2002 when regulations allowed for three concerts to be played per year.

“The house was built back in 1860, the GAA didn’t even exist back then.”