Denis Lehane: Springsteen's Glory Days in West Cork
Bruce Springsteen gets ready to rock Ireland. Picture: Amy Sussman/Getty Images.
I met Bruce Springsteen a few years back.
I'm not sure if I ever told you... it probably slipped my mind.
Anyhow, it was up in Kilkenny many moons ago that I saw Bruce in concert.
Having gotten a free ticket through some bit of good fortune, I found myself listening to 'The Boss' for free.
The concert went on for a long time.
It was enjoyable too, of course, but strung out, for Bruce is never in a hurry.
During a break in the music, I got talking to this dairy farmer from Kilkenny about grass supply, springers, and calf scour.
To cut a long story short, our conversion was so riveting that I never noticed the time pass. Soon, the concert was over, and just me, the farmer from Kilkenny, and Bruce Springsteen left.
"Have ye any homes to go to?" The Boss asked, holding his guitar.
I told him we did and asked why he was so concerned about our homes.
He then told us, with floods of tears (I might add), that he finds it very hard to get accommodation.
He is so popular you see, that wherever he tours in the world, accommodation is booked out far in advance of his arrival.
And it makes absolute sense when you think about it.
Dublin has been booked out for months in anticipation of Taylor Swift.
Where she will stay when she finally gets here is anyone's guess.
Thankfully, we found shelter for Burce that night, and I told him never to be stuck.
There will always be some corner of a barn in Kilmichael available to you, if ever you need it, I promised.
And sure enough, on Tuesday, I got the call from Bruce himself telling me he was on a bus heading from Macroom to Lissarda and was wondering if I might pick him up somewhere along the line.
Well says I, "Bruce, I have no car at the moment, only the tractor and transport box if that will do you?
"A spin in a transport box," says he, "Is better than four miles by foot."
"Boy, golly Bruce," says I. "You could make a fine song out of that if you had the time."
And so Bruce 'The Boss' arrived here later that day and has been with us here on the farm since then. A better companion would be hard to find.
They say you should never meet your heroes, well Bruce was delighted to meet me.
"Where do you get all your ideas?" he asked, stunned that I have been writing for the Farm Exam with almost 20 years.
"In the strangest of places," I assured him... and between you and me, that really is the truth.
Anyhow, on Thursday, after we dose a few calves, myself and Bruce will get the 233 bus from Crookstown to Cork.
Bruce has the bus pass now, and he is making full use of it.
He's saving a fortune.
Then, we will have a few scoops in a city bar before striking for the concert.
Bruce was telling me yesterday that he is sick and tired of singing the same old songs
And I had to admit that 'Born in the USA' and 'The River' can get a bit tedious when heard too often.
Anyhow, on Thursday, he promises to start the show with 'The Bold Thady Quill' and will follow it with 'Mount Massey the Flower of Macroom' in honour of Bambie Thug.
"Sing 'The Banks' too," I squawked. "The crowd will go nuts for that class of thing."
After that, it won't matter what he sings, for as usual, Bruce will give the performance of a lifetime.
And sure, why wouldn't he? And we look after him like one of our own.
