Michael Jackson flew into Cork airport yesterday and was last night holidaying in the county with his three children as he prepared to attend Bob Dylan concerts in Kilkenny and Cork over the weekend.
Jackson was accompanied by his three children, Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, along with a number of personal assistants on a scheduled Aer Lingus flight from Charles de Gaul airport in Paris to Cork yesterday afternoon.
They arrived at Cork airport at about 4.10pm and were collected by a chauffeur-driven mini-bus. It was widely speculated last night that they were staying at the historic Blackwater Castle in Castletownroche, north Cork.
The castle was built by the Roche family in 1291 when they established a Norman settlement in the area. It was recently refurbished and offers high-quality accommodation overlooking the Awbeg river.
However, the owner of Blackwater Castle, Patrick Nordstrom, said last night he had received several media queries about Jackson and, while there appeared to be "a VIP hunt" for the pop star, he wasn't staying at the castle. "I think I would know if he was staying here - I would be flattered if he was but there isn't anyone here at the moment except my dog," said Mr Nordstrom, who admitted he was considering taking the phone off the hook because of all the media queries.
A spokeswoman for Aiken Promotions confirmed to The Irish Times that Jackson would be attending the Bob Dylan concert at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny today and the Live in the Marquee concert in Cork tomorrow night.
