Rolling Stones arrive in Ireland before Croke Park concert

Mick Jagger a surprise guest at the Ireland-Pakistan cricket match at Malahide on Sunday

The production designer for The Rolling Stones, Dale Skjerseth, talks through what the crowd should expect from the bands forthcoming Croke Park concert. Video: Ronan McGreevy

The Rolling Stones are in Ireland ahead of their Croke Park concert on Thursday.

The band arrived on a private plane from Farnborough Airport at 5pm on Saturday evening.

Mick Jagger was a surprise guest at the third day of the test cricket match between Ireland and Pakistan at Malahide on Sunday.

The No Filter tour began last September in Hamburg and ended in Paris in October. A further 11 dates were confirmed in February starting in Dublin and ending in Warsaw in July.

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The band have arrived early to rehearse a new set for this leg of the tour.

Mick Jagger is reported to be staying in the Merrion Hotel; the other members at the InterContinental Hotel in Ballsbridge.

Ronnie Wood owns Sandymount House near Clane in Co Kildare and spends much of the year living in Ireland.

The Rolling Stones last played Ireland in 2007. Prior to that their biggest concert in the country was Slane Castle in 1982.

It will be a busy week of concerts in Dublin, with Ed Sheeran playing three concerts at the Phoenix Park - on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Mick Jagger watches  play during the third day of the test cricket match between Ireland and Pakistan on Sunday in Malahide. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Mick Jagger watches play during the third day of the test cricket match between Ireland and Pakistan on Sunday in Malahide. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

The weather for all four concerts is looking good. It is expected to be dry but it will be distinctly chilly on Wednesday with night time temperatures of just 2 to 5 degrees. The advice is to wrap up warm.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times