U2 coming home after court ruling

U2 can hold two "homecoming" concerts for 80,000 rock fans later this month in Dublin after all, the Irish Supreme Court ruled yesterday, overturning an earlier High Court ban.

On Monday, residents living beside the Lansdowne Road rugby ground successfully sought a High Court order blocking the two concerts, part of the Dublin band's theatrical "PopMart" world tour, arguing they were not authorised events under planning regulations. The concerts, set for 30 and 31 August, had already sold out, yielding pounds 2m in ticket sales.

The Supreme Court's unanimous decision ruled the planning law under which the residents sought the order only related to events which had already happened or were just about to. The appeal was brought by the stadium's owners, the Irish Rugby Football Union. Bono, the band's lead singer, said he was delighted at the decision. U2 are this week on the German leg of the tour.