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[entremet]

NIMBYS are so annoying.

Yep. The worst.

 

[AntoneM]

I hadn't even heard of this guy until my parents were talking about getting tickets to him and now he's all over the news here. When did this guy get so popular? The controversies that end up taking hold of this country are often pretty entertaining though.

the 1990's

 

[Fari]

I hadn't even heard of this guy until my parents were talking about getting tickets to him and now he's all over the news here. When did this guy get so popular? The controversies that end up taking hold of this country are often pretty entertaining though.

I'm too young to remember it personally, but in the early-mid 1990s Ireland was swept up in an enormous line dancing craze.

Half the country would show up if Billy Ray Cyrus was supporting him.

 

[NateDog]

How is Garth Brooks this important to the national economy of Ireland?

I mean, the Taoiseach has had to comment on a stupid concert cancellation. Why is the head of government commenting on Garth Fucking Brooks? Is he the friend in low places I hear so much about?

This is surreal on so many levels.

It's a chance to blame someone else than his government for the economic situation, at least for a week or so. No surprise with Kenny, let's be honest.

Anyway this whole thing is just ridiculous on all ends. Forging / lying about agreements from residents that 5 nights was acceptable months and months ago, Brooks saying 5 nights or none, and the general hubbub everywhere now. I passed a bar/restaurant on the day the cancellation was announced that had a bunch of signs up about Brooks' return (it has a certain American country theme to it), had to laugh about it though. Says a lot about how unorganised we are as a country in general. Heck I still remember coming home from university on the day that the Europa League Final was being staged in the Aviva Stadium (also in the city centre) when Porto were playing Braga. Two Portuguese people walked up to me and asked where the train station was so they could get to the stadium (as that's the only real direct way there from the real hub of the city) and I had to tell them that it was closed because for some reason the British Queen was here on the exact same day and in the same week Obama visited so trains were all off, until about 10 minutes after the match was due to kick off.. Talk about embarrassing yourselves.

 

[dejay]

NIMBYS are so annoying.

Dunno man - sounds like the residents and council had a good arrangement worked out but Garth wanted to push beyond the boundaries of that arrangement. Why not just have monster truck racing there every night "for the economy"?

Sounds like him and/or his management said "Fuck it, just book five shows and they won't have the balls to stop the extra ones".

 

[Khalifa Jayy]

The Mexican Ambassador has offered to mediate crisis talks, but the White House has said it doesn't want to become involved.

Onion piece, right?

 

[Bleepey]

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton are huge in Kenya: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9450072

And country music in general is big in Africa. You guys should give this show a listen:

http://www.radiolab.org/story/91635-songs-that-cross-borders/

It's weird.

Hmmm.

 

[Masquerader]

Ireland is already dead.

 

[Nevasleep]

Why was he touring there? For tax reasons?

 

[Beyonce Beytwice]

I might actually visit Ireland now that Garth Brooks isn't coming, so it could actually well be a plus for the Irish economy and tourism.

 

[PJV3]

I might actually visit Ireland now that Garth Brooks isn't coming, so it could actually well be a plus for the Irish economy and tourism.

Yep.
The stadium could become a tourist attraction, a beacon of hope. I might make a pilgrimage myself.

 

[Septy]

NIMBYism is huge in Dublin, hence why we have agreements like only allowing four concerts per year. The city has an urban sprawl the size of LA, with a small fraction of the population. Any attempts to build upwards get blocked by people who want to "protect" the skyline.

 

[Beyonce Beytwice]

Any attempts to build upwards get blocked by people who want to "protect" the skyline.

I'll never understand this. Skylines with tall buildings (esp. skyscrapers) look so much better than ones with small ones.

 

[Fari]

Another protest today.

There's also a good article in the New Statesman attempting to explain some of this phenomenon.

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

It's pretty embarrassing to be Irish lately

 

[thekonamicode]

I hadn't even heard of this guy until my parents were talking about getting tickets to him and now he's all over the news here. When did this guy get so popular? The controversies that end up taking hold of this country are often pretty entertaining though.

Around the same time this guy got popular!

 

[Fari]

ALL CONCERTS HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY CANCELLED

A statement from Garth Brooks regarding the Croke Park concerts:

"I have always been advised to NEVER send a message in "the moment." It is said it is best
to take a walk, wait awhile, and think about it. With that said, I just received the news the
Irish council cannot change their earlier ruling to not allow the licenses for all five shows. To
say I am crushed is an understatement. All I see is my mother's face and I hear her voice.
She always said things happen for a reason and for the right reason. As hard as I try, I
cannot see the light on this one. So it is with a broken heart, I announce the ticket refunds
for the event will go as posted by TicketMaster.

I want to thank the Irish authorities for going the distance for all of us who wanted to share
songs and dance together. I really want to thank all the people around the world that
continued to think good thoughts that this would actually happen. Most of all, to Peter
Aiken and those 400,000 people who believed enough to go through what they have been
through to get to this point…I love you, always have, always will. I encourage any and all of
them that can come see the show, at some point around the world, to bring your Irish flags
and waive them proudly at the concerts. I will be looking for you.…garth."

 

[Bubble Metropolis]

RIP Ireland

 

[chalkitdown1]

I look forward to another week of news stories about it.

Shameful shit from all involved, really.

 

[Keyser Soze]

It's okay, we still have Nathan Carter. Everything will be fine.