By Debbie McGoldrick

Michael Flatley wrapped the U.S. leg of his new Celtic Tiger show last month, and now he’s ready to take on Europe, specifically Ireland.

Tickets for the Irish debut of Tiger, scheduled for the Point Theatre in Dublin on April 20, sold out in eight minutes on Friday - yes, 480 seconds!

“The demand for Celtic Tiger was unprecedented. At one stage there was 16,500 people trying to buy tickets online at the same time and this is a box office record for any show in Ireland,” said a spokesperson for Ticketmaster Ireland. Take that, U2!

“I love the Point and it has always been very special to me. It has brought me great luck and it is where it is all started. It is great to be back at the scene of the crime!” Michael said.

He’s referring to the fact that way back in 1996, his signature show Lord of the Dance had its world premiere at the Point. Michael created the show from the ruins of his career in Riverdance, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I’m proud to be back in Ireland and the Irish people have always supported me. What a great Christmas present,” Michael said of the sell-out. Expect more shows to be added, given the huge demand.

Prior to Michael’s bow in Ireland, he’ll perform at a number of European cities, including Wembley in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and venues in Germany and Austria.

But for now, he’s taking a break in style. He’s back in Ireland, where he’ll celebrate the holidays with his fiancée Lisa Murphy and his parents, who’ll fly in from Chicago for festivities at Michael’s fabulous, fully refurbished mansion in Cork, the one and only Castlehyde.