LAST UPDATE | 28 Jun
INTERNATIONAL POP SENSATION Taylor Swift has shared a picture of flowers and a welcome message from U2, ahead of her first sold out performance in Dublin tonight.
Swift shared an image of flowers and a card from the Irish rockers on her Instagram page. The message on the card reads:
“Dear Taylor. Welcome back to our hometown. Leave some of it standing?!!!! Your Irish fan club, Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry.”
Swift is set to take to the stage soon on the first night of her record-breaking Eras Tour. She will play three sold gigs in the Aviva Stadium.
Fans have been queueing from the early hours to get into the stadium as Swift mania takes over the country, with everybody – from U2 to Taoiseach Simon Harris – trying to bask in the megastar’s reflective glow.
Plane arrives
Earlier, 17-year-old aviation journalist Shaun Dunne tweeted that Swift’s jet had arrived early this afternoon.
Here she is, I even spotted her in Terminal 2!!!!!#aviation #avgeek #DublinAirport #erastour #Dublin #ireland #planespotter #Taylor #TaylorSwiftErasTourDublin pic.twitter.com/3WsZw5rsOM
— Shauns_Aviation🇮🇪✈️ (@Shauns_Aviation) June 28, 2024
PA reports that businesses surrounding the stadium have embraced the Taylor-mania, with The Bridge Pub – self-dubbed ‘the home of rugby’ – announcing a list of album-themed cocktails to mark the blockbuster shows.
Elsewhere in Dublin, businesses have gotten into the spirit with Taylor Swift-themed brunches, bracelet-making classes, quizzes, and spin classes featuring her music.
On Thursday, Irish Swifties queued up to buy jumpers, hoodies and t-shirts at Dublin’s 3Arena stadium.
Children and adults alike were seen sporting handmade friendship bracelets, a colourful feature of the Swiftie fandom. The musician is expected to take to the stage from 7pm and perform for around three-and-a-half hours.
Swift’s blockbuster show is expected 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 Ireland’s police force as a “jam-packed” three days.
Taoiseach joke
Earlier, Taoiseach Simon Harris refused to be drawn today when asked if he is a “Swiftie” and instead said he has a “bone to pick” with the international pop star.
“We’re delighted to have her here in Ireland but she did take a pebble from the beach in Greystones, she sings about it in ‘Sweet Nothing’.
“Greystones being my hometown, so I am very pleased that Taylor enjoys Wicklow but I do want my pebble back,” the Taoiseach said.
He jokingly added: “She can keep it, but I’d like to know a little bit more about it.”
“She does ponder in the song, does the pebble ever miss Wicklow? Sure everyone would miss Wicklow, wouldn’t they.
“She’s very welcome back to county Wicklow anytime. I’m not sure whether she’ll have time to visit this time, but she is very welcome and I’d be delighted to show her the location of many more pebbles that we have in the beautiful town of Greystones,” the Taoiseach said.
He continued: “On a serious level, while I won’t be going – I don’t have a ticket, I am really conscious that actually it’s a moment of great excitement for many, many, many people right across our country.”
Great weekend for Dublin
Harris said this weekend is going to be a great weekend for Dublin between the various events happening in the capital including all four quarter-finals of the GAA senior football championship, Longitude festival, the Shania Twain concert and Pride Festival.
“There’s a lot of really exciting events happening and I’m hoping that it’s going to be a really good weekend that people can enjoy, can celebrate and of course can stay safe as well. So I hope people have really good weekend,” he said.
With reporting from PA and Cormac Fitzgerald
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