Taylor Swift at Croke Park: Everything you need to know

While the hullabaloo surrounding Taylor Swift's personal life is, in a word, exhausting, the skyscraping pop star's latest album, Reputation – and its tour –  is a carefully curated slap to the media's perception of her, seeing her take ownership of the snake slur Kim Kardashian-West once threw at her and churning out a darker persona that jars with the sweet girl-next-door image she launched her career with.

One of the few female artists to headline Croke Park, Swift will be playing to approximately 136,000 people over the two nights.

Even though its been getting top reviews across the States and the UK, the Reputation Tour is slow to sell in Ireland, with tickets still available to her Croke Park gigs on June 15th and 16th.

The Pennsylvania gal veered away from her country roots and started experimenting with a poppier sound on 2012’s Red, with singles 22 and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together retaining the occasional banjo and containing child-friendly content. Her first dubstep breakdown appeared on I Knew You Were Trouble, suggesting that she didn’t want to be a country star anymore; she wanted to dominate every chart list. In 2014, she released 1989, which is a sophisticated 80s-inspired pop album filled with clever and knowing lyrics and it pushed Swift under the same spotlight as other pop megastars like Beyoncé and Katy Perry, the latter providing some inspiration for Swift’s more vengeful songs on Reputation. But with a bigger spotlight came room for more scrutiny.

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Which brings us to now. Packed with one revenge song too many, 2017's Reputation sees Taylor Swift as a pop star with one of the biggest stages in the world but we're just trying to figure out which song is sniping at which rival, overlooking the gorgeous songwriting and stylings of Delicate, Getaway Car and New Year's Day. Dabbling in more R&B sounds and even rapping on End Game, Swift's talents were wasted on proving that anything her peers can do, she can do better, forgetting that she was already the best at what she did; writing personal songs with in-jokes for fans and universal tales of heartbreak that almost anyone can resonate with.

Swift may have tried to redeem herself on Reputation the album but with the big production of Reputation the tour and the trail of four- and five-star reviews its leaving behind, she’s finally getting redemption she deserves.

Are tickets still available?
Unlike Swift's previous tours, where tickets were like gold dust, tickets are available to buy for both gigs on Ticketmaster with prices ranging from €74.50 to €114. Platinum tickets are priced between €240 and €360 and these seats are located in the Cusack Stand, the Hogan stand and on the pitch.

The Snake Pit Package, which gives you access to the pit, will cost you €664 and there are various other Reputation packages that come with exclusive video content, messages from Swift herself, a hardback Reputation photo book, CDs and other T-Swift bits and bobs, and they will cost you between €577.35 and  €721.65.

If all this money talk has you bothered, there’s also the odd competition running online to win tickets.

What time does everything kick off?
For both shows the gates open at 5.45pm. No queuing is permitted before the opening times and organisers ask that you respect the opening times; everyone has specific seating so there's no need to rush in. Charli XCX is expected onstage at 6.30pm and Camila Cabello at 7pm, with Swift expected shortly after 8pm. Due to heightened security measures, last entry to the venue is at 8pm so plan your journey time accordingly.

What will she play?
Here's the setlist from Swift's June 9th gig in Manchester's Etihad Stadium. Expect something very similar for her Dublin gigs.

• ...Ready for It?
• I Did Something Bad
• Gorgeous Style / Love Story / You Belong With Me
• Look What You Made Me Do
• End Game
• King of My Heart
• Delicate
• Shake It Off (with Charli XCX and Camila Cabello)
• Dancing With Our Hands Tied
• I Don't Wanna Live Forever
• Blank Space
• Dress
• Bad Blood / Should've Said No
• Don't Blame Me
• Long Live / New Year's Day
• Call It What You Want
• We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together / This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

What will the weather be like?
The weather on Friday, June 15th and Saturday, June 16th should be dry but cloudy, with temperatures averaging at 16 degrees. Remember that large umbrellas are among the banned items so leave them at home.

How do I get there... and get home?
Everyone is encouraged to use public transport and to factor in an extra two hours travel time to and from the venue. Keep updated with AA Roadwatch for traffic notices in the area.  Your ticket will clearly outline which route to take to the venue and there will also be security outside the venue to assist with any queries.

Take note of the different routes marked on your ticket for your seating area:

Croke park is bordered by Clonliffe road, Ballybough road and North Circular road

• Hogan stand via Jones road and Russell street – Blue route
• Cusack stand via St James avenue and Foster terrace – Red route
• Davin stand via St Margaret's terrace – Yellow route
• Pitch 1 via Josephs avenue – Green route
• Pitch 2 & 3 - via St James avenue and Foster Terrace - Red route

Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, the Dart and the Luas will all bring you to within a 15 minute walk of Croke Park. Follow the instructions on your ticket regarding venue entry.

• By train: The closest train station is Drumcondra and it is a five-minute walk from the stadium. Additional train services will operate from the following: 00.30hrs Dublin Heuston to Galway; 00.40hrs Dublin Heuston to Cork with connection to Limerick Colbert. For all additional extra services  from Drumcondra to Maynooth, visit irishrail.ie for more information.
• By Luas: The closest Red Line Luas stop is Connolly , which should take about 16 minutes to walk from. The stadium is a 15-minute walk from both Parnell and Marlborough Green Line Luas stops.
• By Dublin Bus: These are the routes that serve Croke Park: 1, 7, 11, 13, 14, 16, 27a, 27b, 29a, 31/a, 31b, 32, 33, 40, 40b, 40d, 41, 41b, 41c, 42, 43, 44, 53, 123, 13.

I'm taking the car, what's the best route?
There will be no parking available in and around Croke Park for concert goers, with local residents getting priority with parking, and there will be traffic restrictions in place. The closest car parks to Croke Park are: Clonliffe College, Q-Park Clerys, Mater Hospital Car Park, Park Rite Parnell, Park Rite Irish life, Park Rite IFSC, Park Rite Fleet Street and Park Rite Arnott's.

If you download the Evntz app, it will keep you updated on traffic in the area and navigating your way around the concert venue.

What about disabled access facilities?
There will be raised wheelchair viewing platforms in Croke Park for these events. There is limited capacity in this are so wheelchair accessible tickets are required to access the platform. The platform operates a strict 1+1 policy. For all non-wheelchair related accessible ticket enquiries, there be a limited number of designated seats in the tiered seating area.

Contact Ticketmaster directly for information on all accessible tickets in advance. Republic of Ireland: 0818 903001, Northern Ireland & UK: 0844 277 9964 and International Customers: 00 353 818 903001.

There will be parking in Clonliffe college car park reserved for gig goers with access needs. Entry is off Drumcondra Road and the charge is €10. Please note that space is limited in the car park so contact the promoter in advance at access@mcd.ie to apply for a pass to the allocated accessible area of Clonliffe car park. This pass will be emailed to you in advance and you must print it out and bring it with you to gain access on the day. The €10 charge is to be paid upon arrival at the car park.

What about security?
All gig goers will be searched upon entry and to avoid long queues at security check, the promoters ask that you bring as little as possible with you to the gig. They ask that you do not bring backpacks or larger handbags as you may be refused entry to the venue without a refund. There will be no cloakroom or storage facilities at the venue. Please note that there are no re-admissions to the concert.

Banned items include: aerosols/air horns, animals (other than registered guide or hearing dogs), alcohol, any item which may reasonably be considered for use as a weapon, audio recorders, backpacks/large bags/waist packs, banners with poles or poles of any kind, bottles, cans, cameras with detachable lens or recording equipment, camping equipment, Chinese or sky lanterns, cooler boxes or large containers, crash helmets or protective headwear, body-Armor or protective clothing, deckchairs, drumsticks, excessive amounts of batteries, wire, cables or electronical component, fireworks and flares, flagpoles, garden furniture, fold up chairs or shooting sticks, glass, Go Pros, illegal substances/illegal merchandise of any description, iPads, large umbrellas, large chains, spiked bracelets or wallet chains, large flags, placards or posters (including sticks), light-sabres lasers/laser pens or torches, LED headbands, wristbands, glow sticks or light emitting objects of any kind (except mobile/cell phones), liquids (sealed water less than 500ml and caps removed is allowed), Nitrous Oxide, portable laser equipment and pens, selfie sticks, smoke canisters, sound systems, spray cans, tridents, unauthorised professional film or video equipment, unofficial tabards or reflective jackets.

Will alcohol and food be available?
There will be bars and food stalls inside Croke Park. Please note that the bar operates a Challenge 21 policy in the venue and accepted forms of ID are: passport, drivers license and Garda Age card.

Are there any age limits?
All under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or a guardian over the age of 18. Standing areas are over 14s only and strict age monitoring will be in place at all entrances so pack your ID. The promoter reserves the right to refuse admission.

Credit card collections/Guest list
Guest list and tickets booked with credit cards can be picked up at the official ticket outlet at Gills Corner, which is at the corner of Russell Street and North Circular Road.