This was the ninth time I'd seen U2. I have seen them in Ireland on every tour since Croke Park 1985.

I kept up the sequence by finally getting a ticket on ticketmaster on Thursday afternoon.

I Left a barbeque in Drumcondra at 7.15 and walked the mile and a half to the stadium. Passed a lot of Drunk people from Northern Ireland on the way. My ticket was not checked until I reached the turnstiles.

I was on my own but my friends were in the same stand, four sections away. So I Joined them halfway through Out of Control. We were level with the two mini stages.

The sight of Edge out on the right-hand stage ripping into the guitar during Electric Co. with the vast stand full of people behind him was breathtaking. I won't forget that in a hurry.

For me the next oustanding moment was Elevation. Edge crunching the riff on his own and 80,000 people singing 'A mole digging in a hole...'. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. Perfect. Who cares if the sound was a bit dodgy. The crowd was electric. I know now why I'm not bothered about seeing U2 outside Ireland.

The trio of songs from the new album, City of Blinding Lights, Miracle Drug and Sometimes sounded amazing but it was Love and Peace, and Bullet the Blue Sky that left me speechless. The imagery and haunting sound of Edge's guitar had the same effect on me as the 'Shower Scene' in Schindlers List. Silent shock.

I was exhausted both physically and mentally after the 'power set' that also included Streets, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Pride closing with One. How can these guys do this night after night? They are seven years older than me.

The encores, all seven of them, were more light hearted. Zoo Station, The Fly and Mysterious Ways remind me of that August night in Pairc Ui Caoimh in Cork 1993. The band sound so tight and together tonight. This is definitely a musical peak for them in my eyes.

Party Girl was a surprise with Matt from Canada taking the place of Mickey from 'Par Excellence' in 1987. I wonder what happened to him. To play a full song with the fab four must be mind blowing. Matt received an awesome reception.

Yahweh perhaps my favourite song on the album proves that the crowd can still sing after two hours. Closing out the show with Vertigo is awesome.

We go home and have a few beers and discuss the night. Coldplay schmoldplay. U2 are without equal. As long as I am alive and they are playing gigs our paths will cross.

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