Mayo superfans are all set as Swiftie Fever sweeps Ireland

The time has finally come, Swiftie Fever has struck Ireland.

Anticipation, excitement, and ticket desperation has been the mood for the past couple weeks building up to the Irish dates of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’.

The talk of what has become the highest grossing tour of all time began 12 months ago when the musical phenomenon announced she would be playing the AVIVA stadium, and it hasn’t stopped since.

As ticket sales began, for 165,000 of the half a million fans who signed up for tickets, the countdown to June 2024 did too.

Being an avid concert-goer, and seeing how poorly the ticket sale played out for Taylor’s US dates, I knew all too well that things would get crazier when she announced European dates. Having been anticipating a tour announcement after Taylor revealed her tenth album ‘Midnights’, I signed up to a no purchase necessary album pre-order, giving me access to a special ‘Midnights Presale’, and boy am I glad. 

With a shocking amount of ease, and admittedly some tears of happiness, I secured my tickets. 

_{Taylor Swift performing 'Karma' at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (Photo: The Mayo News)}

I had the time of my life with you 

The day I had been waiting years for came two weeks ago when I attended ‘The Eras Tour’ at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. 

To my luck, a family member decided not to use the tickets, and so I booked myself a flight and headed off.

Months of outfit planning, friendship bracelet making, and surprise song manifestation all came together, and for three and a half hours, little else mattered.

From opening the show with the fitting lyrics ‘It’s been a long time coming’ from ‘Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince’, to the firework fuelled finale of ‘Karma’, era by era, hit by hit, Taylor took the 70,000 strong crowds through 18 years of music.

For many, Taylor’s music has been the soundtrack to their life, from childhood all the way to adulthood, making the show a recipe for nostalgia, happiness, and a lot of dancing.

_{Taylor Swift performing '22' at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (Photo: The Mayo News)}

Are you ready for it?

Today marks the first day of the star’s three night run in Dublin, and Mayo Swifties are certainly ready for it.

Speaking to The Mayo News, superfan Aoibhe Kelly from Kilmaine said she is most excited to experience the atmosphere in the stadium. 

“You can't mimic the atmosphere that happens right before a concert, where it’s one of these big artists such as Harry Styles or Taylor Swift. I have held myself from watching the movie, so I don’t get too many spoilers, I know she is going to put on such a performance,” she said.

Ballinrobe Swiftie, Elyse Brouwer said finally hearing her ‘favourite songs from childhood’ live is what she is most looking forward to.

“I think [the tour] is so big because a lot of people grew up listening to Taylor and can now hear all the childhood albums in one concert,” she added.

Being referenced by many as ‘the tour of all tours’, Ms Kelly thinks ‘The Eras Tour’ is such a phenomenon because ‘it allows for people to just be so out there and not feel judged, everyone is there for the same reason’.

When asked their favourite thing about the singer, both fans spoke of her lyricism, Ms Brouwer branding her a ‘lyrical genius’.

Ms Kelly commented: “She writes some of the most poignant lyrics anyone has written, I feel like everyone has resonated with at least one of her songs, and she has the bops that everyone is able to dance to, so she can write music that takes you from one mood to another.”

_{Taylor Swift performing 'Anti-Hero' at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (Photo: The Mayo News)}

The concerts aren’t just beneficial to her adoring fans, they have been shown to have seriously positive economic benefits for concert locations in what’s now known as ‘Swiftonomics’. 

It’s been estimated that the three shows will bring in over €150 million to the Irish economy.

So, whether you love her or hate her, you won’t escape Swiftie Fever this weekend.