Despite offering to swim across the Atlantic to try and get the issue revolved, Garth Brooks and Aiken Promotions have confirmed in separate statements that all the concerts at Croke Park have been cancelled.

A statement from Aiken we received this evening read as follows:

"Aiken Promotions regret to announce that despite pursuing all possible solutions, the 5 concert Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event at Croke Park is cancelled. No concerts will take place. The ticket return process will begin on Thursday 17 July at 9am through Ticketmaster."

It's been one of the strangest and longest sagas over a concert that we can remember, but it looks like it has finally all come to an end this evening with a statement from Garth Brook himself, who has confirmed that none of the five nights billed at Croke Park will go ahead.

Garth said in the statement that he received the news that the council cannot change their earlier ruling regarding the licences and that "with a with a broken heart, I announce the ticket refunds for the event will go as posted by TicketMaster", a process that will begin this Thursday the 17th of July at 9am.

The singer added that he felt for Peter Aiken and the 400,000 who had done everything they could to find a way to make it happen, but it simply wasnt to be, adding "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 [sic] them proudly at the concerts. I will be looking for you".

Garth Brooks statement in full:

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. 


More: Who is to blame for the Garth Brooks Croke Park cancellations?