The Black Pig Winebar,

After spending hours over a number of days in front of a computer I finally got a pair of tickets for the final night of the Garth Brooks’ Croke Park concerts. They were got to celebrate a significant anniversary.

Welcome to your Wednesday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described country superstar Garth Brooks’ decision to pull out of a comeback special expected to pump millions into the country’s recovering economy this month as a shock to the system.

A statement on Garth Brooks’ website has confirmed the singer will hold a live press conference on Thursday.

Garth Brooks’ grip on Ireland’s disposable income led the FAI to abandon plans for a second home summer friendly.

He’s got friends in foreign places — eight of the 400,000 tickets for Garth Brooks’ Irish gigs were bought in Afghanistan.

MUSIC NEWS:

THE modern Christmas song is a curious thing.

TONIGHT won’t come for Robbie Keane, the man who reportedly got up and sang Garth Brooks’ Tomorrow Never Comes, not to mention, Mustang Sally, with the house band in a pub in Malahide on Sunday night.

PAUL DOHERTY loved “doing the lap” — a local phrase for driving around town, showing off your wheels and having the craic, mourners at his funeral heard yesterday.