Bruce Springsteen fans are famous for their devotion to "The Boss" – and for some of those attending his Dublin concerts, that means travelling over 15,000km to see him.
The Born In The USA superstar is playing three sold-out shows at the RDS on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday.
Fans have been gathering in nearby hotels to discuss all things Bruce over a few drinks as they count down the minutes until the gates open.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One's Morning Ireland, Australian fans Riaan Moolman, from Perth, and Greg Balind, who lives in New South Wales, said they said they were more than happy to travel over 15,000km for Springsteen.
"Bruce is my religion to be quite honest. I get inspiration from his music – it’s been a major part of my life for a long time," Riaan explained.
"I follow him around the world – I have been a fan since I was 10 years old."
Greg has also been listening to The Boss since he was a child.
"I’ve spent 37 years going to Springsteen concerts – Ireland is a lovely place and this gig will be the highlight of my visit here."
He added: "It will be great to be present at the stadium - and in his presence."
Another fan who had flown a long distance to go dancing in the dark was Maria Mariani from Los Angeles.
"Being here means so much to me – Bruce means so much to me. I have been through a lot in recent years, caring for an elderly parent and the pandemic – this trip is a way of feeding my soul."
Two fans from the Netherlands were soaking up a sunny evening in Dublin on Wednesday as they looked ahead to their first Springsteen gig this year.
But Jorgen Goos revealed: "I will visit at least three other countries to see him live in the next few weeks. I did not have the money to go to concerts when I was younger – now I can catch up."
His friend Hidde Veenstra said he was a Springsteen fan for many reasons. "I guess mainly because he is known as a working class hero and I identify with him in that respect.
"Every time you listen to this music, you hear new things." He had spent around €500 on the trip to Dublin to see his musical hero.
Teresa Barrett joked that she "could not compare" to the distances other fans had travelled.
"I am originally from Cork but now live in Stoneybatter in Dublin." She is hoping to be among the first through the gates of the RDS when they open at 5pm tomorrow.
"I will queue for as long as it takes to get right to the front – to touch the hem of the god," she laughed.
Teresa has been a Bruce Springsteen devotee for over four decades and attended his Slane Castle gig back in 1985.
She will be going to all three of his Dublin concerts in the coming days.
"After that I am going to two gigs in Paris, then Rome, then hopefully the Netherlands and two more in Copenhagen in July."
