Northern Ireland

Garth Brooks among previous Irish concert cancellations

American country singer Garth Brooks cancelled all five of his gigs at Croke Park in Dublin last year
American country singer Garth Brooks cancelled all five of his gigs at Croke Park in Dublin last year American country singer Garth Brooks cancelled all five of his gigs at Croke Park in Dublin last year

ONE Direction's last minute cancellation is not the first time that Irish music fans have been left in limbo.

Just last year Garth Brooks cancelled all five of his Croke Park concerts leaving 400,000 fans disappointed.

The gigs were scrapped after the city council ruled the country music singer could only play three concerts following complaints from residents living near the stadium.

The saga became an all-or-nothing stand-off that in the end saw Brooks pull out of the gigs rather than than choose which one to play, likening the choice to "choosing one child over another".

The cancellation of the Clash's gig in Belfast in 1977 will always be remembered in music circles.

The band had been due to perform at the Ulster Hall as part of the Get Out Of Control tour. This came at a time when the city was in the grip of bombings and killings during the Troubles which meant bands mostly shunned Belfast.

While the Clash did come to the Ulster Hall, their show was cancelled just two hours before the band were due to take to the stage, sparking a confrontation between the police and punks.

English punk band The Fall also cancelled one of their Belfast gigs just minutes before it was due to get under-way in November 1997.

The show at Empire Music Hall was reportedly called off after singer Mark E Smith dismissed his fellow musicians.

Former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown was forced to cancel a Belfast show in 1998. Brown had been due to perform at the Limelight, but instead was in prison after being found guilty of using threatening behaviour towards an airline stewardess and captain.

Belfast guitarist Eric Bell walked out of a gig in his home city on New Year's Eve 1973.

The musician left the stage in the middle of the concert, but the band continued to play on without him.