County music legend Garth Brooks may, so far, have passed up on an opportunity to stage a concert in Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium but speculation is rampant that he will stay near the town when he arrives to play five sold-out gigs in Croke Park in September.
It is widely reported in music industry circles that the Stetson-wearing superstar and his entourage will use Kerry Airport as their base during their stay in Ireland and will commute to and from the open air concerts by private jet.
It is further being claimed that the Brooks has hired a private luxury house near Killarney for the duration of their stay but, for security reasons, the off-the-beaten-track location will not be divulged.
Garth (60) is playing three weekend nights in a row at GAA headquarters in Dublin on September 9-11 but he will then take a few days of rest to and recreation, probably in Kerry, before returning for two more nights the following weekend.
A keen golfer, the singer’s charity foundation organises regular golf and sports camps for children and he might avail of the opportunity to test his skills in some of Kerry’s finest courses.
Killarney councillor Niall O’Callaghan had already invited the country music celebrity to perform in Fitzgerald Stadium during his Irish visit but the response was not positive.
Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
The offer followed a scene in a Netflix documentary that shows the Friends In Low Places star singing The Irish Lullaby with his late mother, Colleen Carroll, which features lyrics about Killarney.
They sat on the couch at home in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1990s for a duet of the Bing Crosby classic lullaby Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra which features the line: ‘Over in Killarney, many years ago, my mother sang a song to me in tones so soft and low’.
Hotelier and councillor O’Callaghan asked the music legend to perform in the 38,000 capacity Fitzgerald Stadium at a time and date that suits the star’s schedule.
“He was clearly very emotional in the documentary when it came to that song so maybe he would love the opportunity to play in Killarney,” he said.
The local councillor pointed out that several top music acts have already performed at Fitzgerald Stadium, including Elton John, Tom Jones, Pink, Rod Stewart, Snow Patrol, Pussycat Dolls and Westlife.
And if tomorrow never comes, at least the local hotelier can say that he tried his best to lure the singer who sold more albums than Elvis to town.
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