Bruce Springsteen visits his favourite Dublin spots during Irish tour off-day

‘The Boss’ and the E Street Bandrocked the Ballsbridge venue on Friday evening and will be back on stage this evening, and again on Tuesday.

Over the years, Springsteen has become somewhat of a regular at two well-known Dublin businesses – The Long Hall pub and Leo Burdocks Famous Fish and Chips.

Unsurprisingly he ended up in both premises yesterday afternoon.

Springsteen took a seat at the bar in the Long Hall beside another overseas visitor who comes to the pub when he is also in town.

Under a picture posted on the pub’s Twitter account, a staff member explained that Springsteen was sitting beside a “regular” from Wales.

The New Jersery singer was photographed enjoying a whiskey, as interested onlookers peered in the window.

"Seven years on it was lovely to welcome back two regulars to the pub today! One from Aberystwyth in Wales the other from New Jersey in the US. It’s the randomness that makes it so special. Sláinte,” they wrote.

Leo Burdock’s also counts Springsteen among its many celebrity regulars and the singer popped by yesterday for a chips and to sign a copy of one of his vinyl albums. Springsteen visited the Burdock’s Christchurch outlet which was the first opened in 1913.

Sharing a picture of the visit on the business’s Instagram account, a staff member wrote: "The Boss stopped by our flagship Christchurch @springsteen amazing legend.”

Inside the chipper, is the Leo Burdock’s ‘Hall of Fame’, which includes Billy Bob Thornton, Charlize Theron, Russell Crowe, Ray Charles and The Dubliners.

Since arriving in Dublin earlier this week, Springsteen has been pictured meeting with fans across the country.

On Thursday he made surprise visits to a number of locations in Co Kildare, where he can trace ancestral roots, including Newbridge Library and The Burrow pub in Rathangan.

The same day visited Irish folk/punk legend Shane MacGowan at The Pogues singer’s home.

MacGowan’s long-term partner Victoria Mary Clarke shared a picture of the encounter on Twitter.

In a message attached to the post, Ms Clarke described Springsteen as a “total genius”.

“What an amazing honour and a beautiful experience to get a visit from The Boss!!! ⁦@springsteen @ShaneMacGowan⁩. Such a truly wonderful man and a total genius,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, Springsteen made former RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird’s ‘bucket list wish’ come true on Friday evening, when he arranged VIP access for Mr Bird and his wife Claire at the first RDS concert.

In recent weeks, charity campaigner Mr Bird, who is battling motor neurone disease, said the final item on his bucket list was to meet the New Jersey rocker.

Charlie had said he wants Springsteen’s ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ played at his funeral – the song his friend Daniel O’Donnell sang for him on top of Croagh Patrick at the end of the Climb With Charlie challenge last year.

During Friday night’s performance, Springsteen sang and dedicated ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ to Mr Bird, telling the crowd: “This one is for my friend Charlie Bird”, before receiving a standing ovation.

"What a magical moment for me and my beautiful wife Claire. Bruce was so kind and a fantastic human. I played my voice app and I really believe we connected. I told Bruce Land of Hope and dreams was on my bucket list, and he said he would play it for me. And God he did. I love him,” Mr Bird later wrote in a Twitter post.

• For tonight’s gig, the RDS gates open at 5pm and he is expected on stage between 7.15pm and 7.30pm. There is a forecast for some showers after 10pm tonight, but no umbrellas are allowed in the venue.