Video: Distraught Garth Brooks fans hold vigil in Dungannon
Dungannon super fans Aisling Heatherington, Adeline McGuckin and Roisin Slater have mounted a vigil outside one of their homes in Dungannon’s Foxborough Estate, with lifesize cutouts of their idol and bunting in the colours of the US flag.
When the bombshell news broke that the US musician had pulled the plug on his Irish concerts, the women said they were devastated and left reeling ‘in a trance’.
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Hide AdThey made headline news in January after camping out for five nights in cold weather outside Stewart’s Music Shop in order to land tickets for their dream concert.
Their antics even attracted the attention of Garth Brooks manager, who, on the phone from Nashville voiced his surprise that Garth’s fans would go that far just to see him.
The women had been waiting 17 years for the performer to return to Ireland after he took a prolonged break from music in 2001 to be with his family.
The look of despair is plainly evident on their faces as they make their video appeal, which the Tyrone Times is sending to Brook’s manager.
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Hide AdThey are hoping that their heartfelt pleas will make the country singer have a last minute change of heart.
In a moving poem composed by Aisling as part of the video appeal, she asks the question: “How could they take our dreams away?”
“That morning that door opened of Stewart’s music shop”, she writes,
“Was one we will remember to our hearts decides to stop
Many a tear was shed when those tickets were in our hands
Everyone each a different reason no one else could understand
The atmosphere it was electric our dreams were coming true
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Hide AdUntil almost five months later we heard a rumour we hoped wasn’t true
We watched out for the news to tell us this was wrong
How could they take our dreams away surely someone was wrong.
And then the D-day came when that decision was to be made
It felt like school results day to see if we’d made the grade
So there it was a decision made which brought a tear to our eyes
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Hide AdDreams shattered memories gone the Croke park residents had got their prize
But where did it leave the thousands of fans who wanted this dream come true
It just did not make any sense by coming out of the blue
5 months they’ve had to organise a once in a life time event
And with 2 weeks before the show no one showing any common sense
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Hide AdThe concerts they were cancelled and Ireland was in a trance
Is this really happening and why had Ireland missed their chance
We hope Garth can return one day to fulfil his Irish fan’s dreams
And if tomorrow never comes we’ll still be following the Garth Brooks’ team
We know that Garth is loyal to each and every fan
So when he said all or nothing this really was his plan
His tour will be amazing no doubt in that at all
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Hide AdAnd maybe near the end we’ll have him back at Croke Park after all
So to those who find it funny that we camped out for 5 days ending up with nothing
At least we can say we tried our best we gained a lifelong memory which is truly something.”