Wish you were there? 7 unforgettable Irish events

There’s something about an experience shared with others, feeling a part of something, revelling in the exhilar ating atmosphere, watching a moment of genius unfold as part of a rapt crowd... you know you’ll treasure the memories of that unforgettable show for years to come.....

With 2017 Irish shaping up to be a great year for music and sporting events, we take a stroll down memory lane for a look back at some legendary dates which will live long in the memories of all who are lucky enough to say, “I was there, man...”

Queen, Slane, July 5, 1986 Guns & Roses have been announced as next year’s main attraction - and Slane Castle has long been synonymous with big rock gigs, as Lord Mountcharles backyard in Co Meath welcomes rock legends year after year. Queen played a sweltering summer show with ultimate showman Freddie Mercury building the crowd into a frenzy as only he could. Even though it lashed rain for half the day, classic RTE news footage shows stage staff dousing the pit with water to cool the ecstatic fans off.

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David Bowie, The Point, Dublin, 1995 The late legend graced Irish audiences with his illustrious presence a number of times, all shows insanely memorable in their own way. It was a privilege to watch Bowie reinvent himself yet again at the Point in ’95 with complex drum’n’bass-fuelled tracks like Outside and Hello Spaceboy and reworked versions of Man Who Sold The World. He even had Morrissey as his support act. On Bowie’s final visit to the Point in 2003, he included more of his outstanding Seventies and Eighties faves, including a transcendant Life On Mars.

Electric Picnic (2004-present) It started as a one-day event headlined by 2Many DJs, and since, the annual Stradbally extravanganza has grown into a multi-faceted beast of epic proportions. The Picnic is Ireland’s answer to Glastonbury: a real experience in terms of music, comedy, dining, visuals and the best campsite craic. Every fan will have their own favourite years, but stand-out past performers include Bjork, Arcade Fire, Pulp, Chemical Brothers and Beastie Boys. It tends to sell out every year and tickets for next year’s festival are already flying out.

UFC Fight Night, The O2, July 19, 2014 Promoter Dana White described it as one of the most raucous fight nights he’s ever encountered as Irish fans turned out in droves to witness Conor McGregor conquer Diego Brandao for the featherweight title in a sell-out event at Dublin’s O2. After Cole Miller dropped out with an injury, Brandao was a last-minute replacement opponent for Conor - and the rest is history. With his peacock style and attitude, McGregor has his knockers, but there’s no denying he’s raised the profile of the sport to dizzying heights.

Beyonce, Formation World Tour, July 9, 2016 Queen Bey is undoubtedly one of the greatest pop/R’n’B performers in the world, and the summer’s Formation World tour proved her an artist at the top of her game. The Irish Times called it “a spectacle of total musical control’ with an intoxicating mix of glamour, politicised visuals and lyrics, breathtaking dance sequences and powerhouse vocals. Singer James Vincent McMorrow tweeted it was the greatest show he’d ever seen, saying “she sings the key changes even when she sings it acapella”. Yep, Bey slays.

Ed Sheeran, Whelans, January 2015 Fans queued round the block for a chance to nab a ticket to see nice-guy pop sensation Ed play an intimate gig celebrating 25 years of magical Dublin venue, Whelans, which plays host to amazing shows on a nightly basis. Ed picked the small Wexford Street venue after being inspired to write songs by seeing Damien Rice play there 10 years ago. Filmed for an MTV special, with space for only 400 punters, it’s probably one of the smallest venues he’ll play for the foreseeable future.

The Boss, Croke Park, July 2016 In over 40 years of performing, Bruce Springsteen’s epic gigs are an event people travel far and wide for. His historic Slane show in 1985 saw his biggest crowd ever at close to 100,000, the numbers swelled by massive hit Born In The USA. His stamina is legendary, with 3-4 hour performances the norm, and he showed no signs of slowing down at his most recent gigs in Croker over the summer. Along with his legendary backing band, Bruce always manages to be the ultimate crowd pleaser. Glory days, indeed.

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