IT started with a Flicker and the crescendo very quickly reached fever pitch as pop idol Niall Horan last night rocked the INEC in Killarney like it has never been rocked before.
Thousands of star-struck fans, all screaming, many weeping, chanted his name, sang along passionately to every lyric and waved their hands in the air as he delivered a power-packed 90-minute performance, encompassing all the smash hits that have made him one of the biggest selling artists on the globe.
The former One Direction star, who has carved out a hugely successful solo career since the band split, is undertaking an extensive world tour which is due to finish in Florida in September.
Last night’s brilliant show at the INEC, which was sold out within minutes of the tickets going on sale, was the first night of his Flicker tour and, after Killarney, it’s straight on to Dublin and Belfast before he heads off for several concerts in the UK.
Mullingar native Horan (24) told the packed INEC that he considers Killarney to be the most beautiful town in the country and he pledged that he would return to perform again “in the wonderful Kingdom of Kerry”.
He spent four days in total in Killarney, taking in many of the sights, playing golf and practicing his swing on the driving range and he is also reported to have enjoyed a night on the town, taking in a few of the most popular late night hostelries.
To the delight of his smartphone wielding fans in the 3,000-strong crowd, he churned out all his big hits, including number one single This Town, Slow Hands, Too Much To Ask and current single On The Loose, all of which feature on his Flicker album.
He also delighted the crowd when he have a solo rendition of One Direction hits Fool’s Gold and Drag Me Down and he added tracks from Bruce Springsteen and Camila Cabello to his repertoire.
Killarney was packed for the concert with hotels, guesthouses, pubs and restaurants all reporting a rip-roaring trade before and after the event and, while Horan was on stage, the line of cars on both sides of the Muckross Road extended as far as Loreto Road such was the magnitude of the event.
Video: KillarneyToday.com. Pictures: Don MacMonagle. Click on individual images for details
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