Oasis fans from across the globe flock to Dublin for 'electric' weekend of concerts

Irish Examiner

a day ago

One of Oasis' youngest potential fans stole the show outside their pop-up merchandise shop in Dublin on Friday.
Eight-week-old Ollie Marsh from Killiney in south Dublin was blissfully unaware as he sat in his pram with fans including his doting mother Nicole Richardson, who dressed him in a newly bought Oasis baby grow.
The pair were queuing to buy band paraphernalia ahead of the Gallagher's sold out show this weekend.
'I'm here with my sister Fiona and her daughter Charlie and my mother. We are all going to the concert and mum is babysitting,' said Nicole. 'I had Ollie eight weeks ago and couldn't resist getting him the outfit.
'We are huge fans, so we are really looking forward to it. We lost our dad a year ago and he would enjoy all of this,' she said, adding that their cousin Jemma McGee, who was also with them, had travelled all the way from Melbourne in Australia to join them in Croke Park.
'Oasis hadn't announced their Australian gigs when the reunion tour was unveiled at first so we just went online and got the first ones we could get,' Jemma said.
Nicole Richardson with baby Ollie outside the Oasis pop up shop in Dublin. Picture: Moya Nolan
'My sister got tickets for Cardiff and Dublin. Croke Park falls on my birthday so here I am. I flew in on Thursday night I've had my curry chip and I'll have a few pints later. I am all set."
The atmosphere across Dublin has been described as 'electric' as the city gears up for the much-anticipated arrival of Oasis, who will perform two sell out shows at Croke Park.
Fans began flooding the city centre on Friday, having travelled from all over the world including south Korea and the US.
By 10am on Friday dozens of workers in hi vis vests were gathering at the various entrances of Croke Park preparing for their security plans for the weekend.
A short distance from the venue on Hill Street was a large mural of the brothers painted on the side of a building with the Adidas sign.
Pubs, clubs, and eateries all hung images of the famous siblings outside their venues, as they hope to pull diehard fans indoors ahead of what is expected to be a spectacular two-day event.
Liam and Noel's mother Peggy who was born in Co Mayo — where the brothers spent many of their summer holidays growing up — is expected to be among the crowd at their reunion gigs.
Oasis are due to play to 160,000 fans in what will be their first Irish shows since they played Slane Castle in summer 2009.
The mural of Noel and Liam Gallagher on Hill St in Dublin. Many businesses have also adorned their premises with images of the brothers. Picture: Moya Nolan
The Epic Museum has even got in on the act and has offered fans a chance to trace the Gallagher's Irish roots.
'Definitely Irish: The Oasis Tour', provides an exploration of Noel and Liam Gallagher's connections to Mayo and Meath, where their estranged father is from.
The band's pop-up shop at St Stephen's Green also added extra opening days following overwhelming demand.
The store was originally scheduled to operate from August 4 until August 17, coinciding with the second Oasis gig at Croke Park. It will now stay open until August 19.
It is offering official Oasis Live '25 merchandise, exclusive vinyl, adidas originals x Oasis collaborations, and more, and has quickly become a must-visit for fans.
Meanwhile couple Jiwon Park and Dong Holee from South Korea arrived in Dublin ahead of the shows on Friday after a 15-hour flight.
'We had no direct flights, so we transferred at Istanbul. We are staying here for two nights,' said Jiwon.
Jiwon Park and her husband Dong Hoolee from South Korea, who flew into Dublin to catch the brothers at Croke Park on Saturday. Picture: Moya Nolan
'From South Korea to Istanbul was 11 hours and then to Dublin maybe more than 4 hours.
'We went to London two years ago, so we wanted to look around Dublin and decided to get the Oasis tickets.
'We bought T-shirts, and we are really looking forward to seeing them.'
American tourists Sammelle Zane and her husband Kent Johnston travelled from Utah for the event because 'the European experience is so much better".
'We are fans years, they are from here, it is a wonderful place to see the show,' said Sammelle. While her husband Kent said he 'never thought we would get to see them again, we feel so lucky'.
Their friend Robert Arnau from California explained that he left his wife 'sleeping' after the long flight because 'I was too excited to go to bed'.
'We bought these tickets a year ago, we were shocked, we tried 13 websites in Britain and the two shows here in Dublin were the only ones I could get on, I was thousands behind in the queue, but Sammelle beat us to it.
'This is a magical city, and we will spend a week here in your magical country and we are really looking forward to it."