THE countdown is on to the long awaited Bruce Springsteen gigs in Dublin this weekend, with fans urged to arrive early at the venue.
With an estimated 80,000 concert-goers expected to travel to Croke Park combined with another 50,000 football fans travelling to the Aviva Stadium, heavy disruption is expected in the city.
Major traffic chaos was narrowly averted last night after a Luas strike scheduled to take place tomorrow was cancelled.
The planned strikes had threatened transport disruption during the Bruce Springsteen old-out Croke Park gig and the Republic taking on the Netherlands at the Aviva stadium.
Trade union Siptu last night said the planned four-hour stoppage on Dublin's tram system will no longer go-ahead.
However, concert organisers have urged fans heading to the first of Bruce Springsteen's two concerts to plan their public transport arrangements in advance and allow extra travel time.
Organisers say the Boss will take to the stage for his River Tour promptly tomorrow at 7pm and will have no support act, playing for an expected three hours. He is also due to perform again on Sunday.
Jim Clarke from Aiken promotions said with the curfew set at 11pm, they hope the early start time will allow him to play his famously lengthy set without disturbing residents.
"We always plan to live within curfew but we equally acknowledge that Bruce Springsteen does a long show," he told RTÉ TEN.
"So that reinforces the message - get here early and plan your journey and use public transport. That is the most efficient way of getting to Croke Park on both show days."
It is 31 years since Springsteen’s 1985 concert at Slane Castle, regarded as one of the greatest gigs staged in Ireland.
He last played in Dublin at the RDS in 2012 and went on a sell-out string of concerts in Limerick, Cork, Belfast and Kilkenny the following year.
