'I just love him': 'Ecstatic' fans line up to give Cork welcome to Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran fans Kate Sheehan and Sarah Walsh, both from Mallow. Picture: Jim Coughlan

On Thursday afternoon in Cork City, the sun shone, Sheeran was blaring on repeat on every corner, and the red carpet was rolled out to give the red haired singer-songwriter with Irish roots a rebel welcome.

Having played a similar string of shows in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2018, Ed Sheeran returns to Cork on Thursday for the first of two near sold-out gigs that will see the stadium packed with near 70,000 fans (over half the total population of Cork City) over two days.

By 4pm on Thursday, food trucks and buskers line all roads that lead to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and Sheeran fever has already set in for fans lining up early to get as close as possible to the spectacular 360-degree stage, the spidery arms of which can be seen peeking out of the stadium.

Scarlett O'Brien, 6, from Farranree. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Emma Murphy from Farranree has had her tickets since last October, and says she is “so excited” to see Ed.

“I just love him to be honest, I love his songs, and I’ve loved him since I was young,” she said.

“She think’s he’s unreal,” chips in her friend Sophie Teale.

“Yeah I do,” laughed Ms Murphy, “ I’m just so excited now.” 

Jerry Cohen and Vicky Niemi have travelled all the way from the US to catch an evening with Ed in Cork.

“Well we were thinking about coming to Ireland, and I’m a big Ed Sheeran fan, so we tried to get tickets for Cork, and we couldn’t believe it when we did, so here we are,” said Ms Niemi.

The pair have been touring from Dublin, to Waterford, and now to Cork to see Ed Sheeran, an evening Ms Neimi said was “the icing on the cake” of their trip to Ireland.

The Redmond family have travelled up from Wexford, and sisters Ellie and Kathlyn said they are buzzing for their first ever concert.

“I just really enjoy his music,” said Ellie “Well really, Mom is the big Ed Sheeran fan,” added Kathlyn.

Their mother, Catriona, said she was “very excited” for her third time seeing Ed Sheeran, and being able to go this time with her whole family. “I guess they’re all just lucky enough to join me this time,” she laughed.

Conor Murphy and Peter Murphy, both from Macroom. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Sisters Neesha and Rebecca Coleman from Dingle are decked out in festival makeup and even have a birthday balloon in tow. They are “huge” Ed Sheeran fans, and hope their first time to see him will be “epic”.

“It was Rebecca’s birthday in October, and we didn’t get to see each other with the lockdown and everything, so I’m getting to treat her now,” said Neesha.

“Oh we’re massive fans, I’m sure like everybody around here we’re crazy about him,” said Rebecca.

“He’s just brilliant, he’s grounded, he’s real, that’s what we get from him anyway,” added Neesha.

“It’s hard to describe in a word how I’m feeling, there’s so many, but if I had to I’d say ecstatic,” added Rebecca.

Eleven-year-old Caoímhín Cowhig has been blaring Ed Sheeran in the car all the way up to Páirc Uí Chaoimh with his parents, from their home in Riverstick.

Jayden and Laura McGrath from Castlemartyr. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

“I’m a big fan,” he said. “I love singing his songs, my favourite one is 'Shivers'.” “I just want to meet him really, if I could get his autograph that would be amazing,” he added.

Fans are flooding into the Leeside stadium to welcome Sheeran back to Cork for the first time in four years, and to celebrate the first act to return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh since the pandemic, with Denise Chaila set to kick things off at 6pm.