Brooks indicates hope for playing Ireland

Brooks wrote a letter to concert promoter Peter Aiken, saying he ewwas ready to play the shows if they received approval.

The Dublin City Council only agreed to approve three of the five shows. Brooks had sold more than 400,000 tickets and said he would do all five shows or none at all.

In his letter published in the Independent, an Irish newspaper, Brooks wrote, "I was informed yesterday that the shows are cancelled and the refunds begin on Monday."

"I cannot begin to tell you how badly my heart is breaking right now. I hope you understand that to play for 400,000 people would be a dream, but to tell 160,000 of those people that they are not welcome would be a nightmare. To do what the city manager suggests (play three shows and not all five) means I agree that is how people should be treated and I just can't agree with that."

"Our guys are still en route and if there is any chance that the five planned concerts can be salvaged and nobody is being let down then we can proceed as planned until the refunds begin."

"If you tell me, 'Garth, thanks but it is over', I will cease my efforts and bring our people and gear back to the States. If you think that for any reason that the 'powers that be' in Ireland can fix this, then I will faithfully go to the last second."

"Please let me know how to proceed."

"All my gratitude, respect, and love to you and Ireland, G."

Aiken said he had his promotion team had met with city officials about the concerts and received no indications that there might be problems in securing approval.

Aiken went to visit Brooks in the U.S. earlier this week to work out a solution, but returned to Ireland with the shows canceled.

Brooks is holding a press conference on Thursday, although the subject was not indicated.