Remembering Michael Jackson's visit to Cork thirty years ago

Dancing his way to brilliance

The audience included die-hard Jackson fans. But a great many came along just to witness a spectacle that is unlikely to be repeated in Ireland.

Government ministers rubbed shoulders with captains of business and industry... and with just plain hangers-on.

The opening number, ‘Wanna Be Startin Something’, set the mood as everyone clapped and cheered and even those on the stand leaped immediately to their feet.

Even the slower numbers like ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’, featuring backing singer Sheryl Crow, were enthusiastically received by the crowd.

One of the highlights was unquestionably ‘Thriller’, when Jacko disappeared in a puff of smoke, swung down on a rope and even donned a luminous jacket at one point.

The crowd watched in wonder as his dance group emerged dressed as monsters during the climax of the record-selling song that launched the most successful video of all time.

Cork gasped at Jacko’s incredible moonwalk when he slid backwards around the stage, while his feet appeared to walk forwards.

Excitement mounted as smoke billowed from the stage to mark the musical finale, ‘Bad’, the title track of his hit album. It was all too much for many frenzied fans who fainted at the front of the stage.

Bertie Ahern

Minister for Labour, Bertie Aherne, knew nothing about Michael Jackson when he arrived down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night.

It was a case of the Minister doing what his daughters, Georgina (9) and Cecilia (7), told him to.

Both are mad Jacko fans and insisted that they be in Cork quite a few weeks ago.

Minister Ahern, also accompanied by his wife Miriam, was sure about one thing.

“He’s obviously the outstanding exponent in his field, and tribute must be paid to Oliver Barry for bringing him here to Cork.”

Ticket touts get roasting

The Michael Jackson weekend will not go down as a memorable event for the ticket touts who stalked the city centre streets since Friday.

By late Saturday evening some touts were offloading stand tickets for as little as £4 each. [Tickets had gone on official sale at £16, with 50p booking fee.]

Ambulance shortage

A St John’s Ambulance staff officer has lashed out at the lack of Southern Health Board ambulances at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the Jackson weekend.

He said it was the first time ever there was no ambulance cover by the Health Board for a major Pairc Ui Chaoimh concert.

“We are up to our eyes. It is worse than Dunkirk,” Mr Charles O’Keefe told the Examiner.

In hindsight

[Before one of the gigs, Michael Jackson took time out for a local charity encounter, but the report of this contains some details which in hindsight don’t sound so innocent, given various allegations made against the star.]

There was an air almost of reverence in the small room as Jackson posed for his private photographer, watched by his manager, Frank Dileo and bodyguard, Chuckie, with his young sidekick, Jimmy Safechuck, munching peanuts on a sofa.

Made up, with his hair gelled, the trademark curls down his forehead and already dressed in his characteristic stage outfit of black and silver, Jacko appeared retiring and not quite sure how much to say.

Once the pictures were taken, he disappeared through a lace-framed door just one step away with Safechuck at his side.

[American boy Jimmy Safechuck was 10 when he accompanied Jackson on the Bad tour that came to Cork. In his late 30s, after the death of Jackson, he would file an unsuccessful lawsuit against Jackson’s estate, claiming he was regularly abused by the singer.]