U2 fans found what they were looking for at Croke Park

The variety of old tour t-shirts making their way up O’Connell St were outnumbered only by the range of accents heard as the crowd turned towards Parnell St and on to Croke Park.

The Irish leg of any U2 tour is never just another date on the schedule, but the night the die-hard fans around the world immediately look for when planning their pilgrimage to the home of Bono and the boys.

Those fans have amassed over 30 years now and, on Saturday, were rewarded with a gig that dropped any pretence of being a showcase for new material and instead gave a two-hour set of the hits that spawned U2’s loyal following.