Taylor Swift fans flock to Wicklow shopping centre to win tickets for sold-out show

In July last year, tickets for Swift’s three 2024 gigs at the Aviva Stadium sold out in a matter of minutes, with just a fraction of the close to 150,000 Irish fans lucky enough to get a code for the general sale securing a ticket, leaving thousands of fans empty-handed.

Hoping to help her legion of loyal fans shake off those cruel summer vibes, The Bridgewater Shopping Centre launched their ‘Swifty Selfie’ competition, where shoppers can win two tickets to Swift’s June 30 show by taking a selfie with a Taylor Swift cut-out, following the shopping centre and posting their selfie to an Instagram story and tagging @Bridgewatershoppingcentre.

Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries on Thursday, May 30 (deadline for entries), with a total of 60 winners invited to a fabulous ‘Swifty Soiree’ with a plus one on June 9.

“Those tickets are like gold dust at the moment – it is absolutely mad – and the hoards of Swifties have been descending on us to be in with a chance to get them,” Bridgewater Marketing Manager Ailish Gannon joked.

“We’ve received a lot of commotion about it already. People are going nuts. She’s just so popular – on a whole other level.

“Our head management somehow got their hands on two tickets, I believe two of the higher-priced tickets, for the ERAS tour, which sold out in seconds.

“The idea is that you come in and take your picture next to a cardboard cut out of Taylor, follow us and then tag The Bridgewater Shopping Centre on your Instagram story.

“Sixty of the people that have entered will be invited to a Taylor Swift event at the shopping centre, where we’ll have a DJ, prizes for best dressed, and the lucky winner’s name will be drawn.”

Among those hoping to attend the Swifty Soiree and hear her name called is five-year-old Taylor Swift super-fan Grace Kenny from Arklow.

Having taken a lovely snap next to her idol, mum Vanessa O’Neill said that the whole family is keeping their fingers crossed for Grace, who can often be heard singing along to Swift’s mega-hit, ‘Shake it Off’.

“Grace loves Taylor Swift, and she loves her music – it’s in her bones,” Vanessa said.

“Her favourite song of all is Shake it Off. Fingers crossed, she’ll get to hear it live!”