IRISH FANS OF international pop megastar Taylor Swift swooned and screamed as the US superstar kicked off three nights of her blockbuster Eras Tour in Dublin last night.
Swift was high on praise for Ireland and its culture during the long, energetic, spectacle-heavy set.
Thousands filled the stadium, many donning friendship bracelets and cowboys boots, and making the south Dublin venue sparkle with their colourful, creative outfits.
Irish Swifties traded bracelets with new-found friends as the crowd bonded over their love for the American singer. The Aviva stadium – usually home to rugby and soccer matches – roared to life as Swift took to the stage.
She welcomed fans to the Dublin Eras Tour, remarking that it was five years since she had last visited Ireland.
“Nobody does it like you. You know that right?” she said, going on to call Irish people “unmatched storytellers”, adding they had the “best accents”.
During a rendition of her chart-topper We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, a dancer told the crowd “Póg mo thóin”
The 34-year-old also placed her famous black hat on a young fan who was thrust to on to the Dublin stage.
Yesterday, Dublin was gripped by Swiftmania as every news outlet reported breathlessly on the star’s movements. Irish rockers got in on the act by sending Swift flowers and a message welcoming her to Dublin.
The billion-dollar Eras Tour, which sees the Pennsylvanian singer who first found fame in her teens, play hits across her discography, has travelled through the Americas, Asia and now hits Europe.
Around 50,000 fans descended on the Aviva Stadium for the first of three gigs, with some travelling from abroad to see the pop spectacle.
It celebrates Swift’s entire musical career, with songs from all her studio albums representing her different ‘eras’ as she rose through the ranks of the musical industry after moving to Nashville when she was 14.
The Dublin show was filled with elaborate production, multiple costume changes and a setlist that spanned more than three hours and included dozens of songs.
The performances took fans on a chronological journey through her award-winning albums and delighted the crowd, with many Swifties dressing to match their favourite eras and album covers.
Fans sang along with every song, with the lyrics of All Too Well and Lovers reverberating around the Aviva Stadium and echoing out into the nearby streets of south Dublin.
Before the show, members of the audience spoke of their love for Swift’s song-writing and the connections she builds with her fanbase through her music.
Aine Feny, who is from Cork, said of Swift, “her nod to Ireland is amazing”, while Tara O’Keefe, a teacher from Cork, said there is a huge sense of camaraderie between the fans, who trade friendship bracelets during concerts.
Sarah Walsh, who travelled up from Killarney, Co Kerry, said she first saw Swift live in 2011 when she was 13 years old – adding that the singer’s favourite number is 13.
Swift’s blockbuster show is set to boost businesses in the cities she performs in, a phenomenon which also happened during Beyonce’s Renaissance tour as it pulls masses of tourists to regions.
The concert is one of several cultural events on in Dublin this weekend, described by a deputy commissioner of the gardaí as a “jam-packed” three days.
Pride, Longitude Festival, Shania Twain and the football All-Ireland quarter finals are all taking place in the capital.
The magnitude of the Taylor Swift concerts means that gardaí declared the weekend an “extraordinary event” and has drafted in extra officers to help manage crowds.
Additional transport services have been put on for the three days to help with large crowds making their way to the Aviva stadium and other parts of the city.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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