Let’s start with the statement. Get ready for your flesh to crawl. He spoke to us when most of us were asleep. From his gold plated Oklahoma shack, Garth the great gave us the following thoughts.

For us, it is five shows or none at all. To choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like asking to choose one child over another.

However this plays out, Ireland has my heart and always will.

I can’t thank the people of Ireland enough for how welcome they have made me feel. I have faith that Dublin City Council will make the best decision for the people of Ireland.

Garth, you DON’T have a choice. The council made it clear. Concerts 1-3 can go ahead. It’s only the last two that were not licensed.

Way back when the five-ring circus was announced, Garth the great said a motivating factor was his desire to spend time with his child who celebrates a birthday during the 5 or 3 night stand. We all went ‘Awwwww, what a cool dad’. After last night, I think we need to sit Garth the good down.

Not being allowed to play concerts is not the same as choosing between children, unless you see children as exploitable assets that look great on profit and loss sheets. Now, there is a great lyric for your next hit.

What about the great faith he has in both the Irish people and Dublin City Council? Let me translate the line. It’s a threat. Let me play or I’ll take my ball home.

These concerts were a feeble attempt to revive a career that has gone nowhere in the last 11 or so years. In writing this column, I did some research. Garth actually has released one album in last ten years. It was a six CD cut ‘n’ paste collection from his Vegas residency. It was only available through Wal-Mart.

These 5 gigs were all about greed. The collateral damage was always going to be the residents. They were also about a section of Irish society thinking they were in the vanguard of a great cultural renaissance. The fools, the fools.