After nearly two years of having no outdoor entertainment to attend, Irish music fans are absolutely desperate for a return to normality with festivals, gigs and concerts all being planned for the next few months.
They received a major boost yesterday when news broke that Aiken Promotions had applied for permission to hold two gigs in Croke Park on Saturday April 23 and Sunday April 24 2022.
Rumours grew immediately about the potential act who would take to the famous stage on those evenings
It got us thinking about who we would like to see - and who, realistically, are the options available:
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen has said that he plans on touring next year - and where better to stop in on a return tour than Croke Park?
After the pandemic halted plans for The Boss and The E Street Band to get back out on the road in 2021 the rock 'n roll icon has confirmed that they'll be back in 2022.
During an interview with BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball, Springsteen confirmed the hopes to return.
“We’ll be touring next year if everything goes well. The E Street Band will be back on the road – you know, depending, of course, on the virus and what’s opening up," he said.
And the American rock legend has already sold out Croker twice - playing there in May of 2016 in front of 160,188 people across the two nights.
Ed Sheeran
While everyone's favourite ginger-haired musician has not confirmed that he's going on tour just yet, there are a couple of subtle hints that have been dropped.
The main one coming from the sporting world - Sheeran has sponsored his local club, Ipswich Town, for this season.
Emblazoned across the front of their shirt are the symbols +, x and % - the titles of Sheeran's first three albums - as well as minus and equals symbols, above the word 'tour'.
Sheeran is another one who has had major success in Croke Park before, matching Springsteen by selling out the stadium twice in 2015.
Elton John
The famous English star is already playing a gig in Ireland in 2022.
The Rocket Man himself will take the stage on Friday, July 1 in Pairc Uí Chaoimh - for a night that should see lots of excitement and crowds on Leeside.
It's a part of his 'farewell tour' and what better way to help close out a career than in front of 160,000 rabid fans in Dublin?
He's also got a history with the venue, having played there in 1998 on the Face to Face tour.
Garth Brooks
Okay, this one may be a bit of a longer shot, but there is some logic behind it.
We all remember the absolute chaos in 2014 when complaints from residents disrupted the American country singer's plans to play five nights at the Dublin venue.
Their objections left Brooks with a decision: three nights or none.
He went with the latter, and the fastest-selling event in the history of Aiken Promotions was off.
That would've been Brooks' second stint in Croke Park, after his World Tour in 1997 stopped there.
Unlike the other three options, we already know that Brooks is touring next year.
What better way to celebrate the 25-year commemoration of those shows by doing the same again?
