All the gigs Oasis played in Ireland over the years ahead of triumphant Croke Park return

Extra.ie​

3 days ago

After 16 long years, Oasis are finally set to return to Ireland when they play Croke Park as part of their reunion tour.
Noel and Liam were the two main members of the Britpop band, often considered one of the biggest bands ever, before a huge fight between them minutes before they were due on at Rock en Seine saw the band split in the most acrimonious of circumstances back in 2009.
16 years later, the brothers and the band reunited, and are currently in the middle of their mammoth reunion tour — with them set to play two sell out shows at Croke Park next weekend (August 16 and 17). Oasis are back, with their reunion tour heading to Croke Park on August 16 and 17. Pic:With the Gallagher's Irish roots well documented, as their mam Peggy is from Mayo and their dad Thomas, from Co Meath, this will be something of a homecoming for the lads — who have played Ireland several times over the years before their split, with us taking a look down memory lane at all the times they've done so.
One of Ireland's best venues before it was unfortunately demolished in 2018, the Tivoli Theatre hosted the then-on-the-rise Oasis just after the release of their debut album, Definitely Maybe, that summer.
While not much is known about the gig, with the modern days of dynamic ticket pricing and people paying mad money for the reunion this summer, you may be shocked to find out that back in 1994, a ticket to see them cost a massive… 6 Irish Punts and 75 Irish pence (about €16.46 in today's money). Take us back, please. The band performed at Slane for the first time in 1995, when they opened up for REM. Pic: Independent NewsWith the Slane Castle gigs being one of the biggest of the Irish musical calendar, Oasis made their debut at the iconic castle as openers for REM; months before the release of their sophomore album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory would become their magnum opus.
The headliners almost didn't make it to Meath, however, when lead singer Michael Stipe underwent emergency surgery and drummer Bill Berry collapsed on stage in Switzerland. The band had to cancel gigs in France and Spain. They made it to Ireland, however, for one of the most iconic gigs in Slane's history. Fans of Oasis at The Point in 1996. Pic: Independent NewsThe lads headed to The Point in Dublin just a year later, and fresh off the release of their best album in Morning Glory. And in keeping with the price tags of the shows, you could've had the privilege of seeing the band at the height of their powers for just £19.
The gigs also coincided with Noel's late-night debut when he appeared on the Late Late Show, chatting about his Irish heritage mere minutes after the show ended.
Cementing themselves as the biggest band in the world, the band headed Leeside for one of their most iconic gigs when they went to Páirc Uí Caoimh in Co Cork.
Much like when Michael Jackson headlined nearly a decade earlier, the decision to come to Cork was a mammoth event, with RTÉ even covering the two shows as part of their massive tour, which also featured their most iconic concerts ever; two nights in Knebworth to 250,000 people. Just one year later, the band returned to The Point as part of their Be Here Now tour. Pic: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
The band came back to the capital to promote their third studio album — which, while incredibly anticipated, didn't live up to the hype initially — with this gig being notable as Noel was on singing duties.
Liam was unable to perform for the shows, citing a 'sore throat' akin to when the band did MTV Unplugged a year earlier, and much like when his older brother performed at Unplugged, Liam was spotted in the balcony watching on. The Oasis concert at Lansdowne Road in 2000. Pic: Collins Dublin
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, Oasis returned three years later to play the former Aviva Stadium, with all the stars arriving — including U2's Bono, who was spotted in attendance with his wife Eve Hewson.
40,000 people were on hand to watch the band as they performed their fourth album, with 1,000 extra tickets being released to combat touting (why can't we do that anymore??) The band returned two years later for Witnness, the prelude to Oxegen. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
Just before Oxegen took over the Fairyhouse race course, we had Witnness in the early 2000s — with Oasis headlining night two of the two day festival.
The festival that weekend was absolutely stacked, to say the least — with The Prodigy also headlining night one, while Primal Scream and No Doubt were also highlights of the weekend. But a previous review said that the gig was, well, a little less good than their previous shows. One of the best shows the lads put on in the later stage of their career, 20,000 descended on the Rathfarnham Park. Pic: VIP Ireland
Following the release of Don't Believe the Truth in 2005, Oasis came back to our shores twice — once over the summer in Marlay Park before it became the hotbed of Longitude.
The show was well received following the critical praise of the band's sixth studio album, with them returning to The Point later that December for two shows just before Christmas. The lads played Slane just two months before their break up. Pic: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
The last time Oasis played in Ireland for over a decade and a half, they returned to Slane 14 years after opening up for REM, albeit this time as headliners.
It was a family affair that time around, as Peggy Gallagher was on stage with the lads while Liam called the gig 'f***ing biblical.' Just two months later, and minutes before they were due to go on Rock en Seine for the third to last show of their Dig Out Your Soul tour, the Gallaghers had an explosive fight, with the band breaking up that very evening. The guns have fallen silent, with Oasis' reunion tour heading to Croke Park next week for two sold out gigs. Pic: Emmett/Fear PR/PA Wire
Until 15 years nearly to the day, that is — when the band announced that the guns had fallen silent and Noel and Liam got the band back together.
Of course, this didn't come without controversy — namely the 'dynamic pricing' fiasco which saw tens of thousands of people (yours truly included) spending massively inflated prices due to demand.
But that didn't stop tickets from selling out pretty much instantly, and following clips of their gigs in Cardiff, Manchester and London, Dublin are well and truly mad fer it.