( CNN ) -- Garth Brooks appears on the verge of a tour comeback , but it apparently wo n't be launched in Ireland as had been planned . The country star 's promoter confirmed Tuesday it was canceling `` The Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event '' in Dublin because the city council there would only approve three concerts -- not the five that Brooks wanted . `` No concerts will take place , '' a statement from Aiken Promotions said . `` The ticket return process will be outlined tomorrow . '' The promoter said 400,000 tickets had been sold . Brooks ' name was on a statement given to the Irish media insisting he would do `` five shows or none at all . '' `` To choose which shows to do and which shows not to do , would be like asking to choose one child over another , '' the statement said . Brooks was the biggest selling solo recording act ever when he left the road and studio behind to concentrate on raising his three daughters 13 years ago . Fans have only seen him perform since then at a few benefit concerts and a weekend residency in Las Vegas . Garth Brooks works weekends in Vegas . His youngest daughter Allie graduated high school in May , relieving Brooks of his paternal duty to drive his kids from his farm in Owasso , Oklahoma , to school each morning and be there for every soccer match . Brooks revealed last December in a `` Good Morning America '' interview that wife Trisha Yearwood and his daughters had given him approval to launch a world tour in 2014 . He has scheduled a news conference on Thursday for what is expected to be a tour announcement . The Dublin shows had been planned for Croke Park Stadium , a football arena that can hold more than 90,000 fans , on five consecutive nights during the last week of July . The city council approved Friday , Saturday and Sunday shows , but rejected licenses for Monday and Tuesday night concerts . The city noted the stadium was `` in a heavily populated residential area '' and five nights of Garth Brooks would be `` an over intensification of use of the stadium . '' The traffic , noise and `` potential antisocial behaviour '' by Brooks fans could add up to `` an unacceptable level of disruption '' for Dublin residents , the council said . The city promised residents it would limit the number of special events to three each year when the stadium was renovated several years ago . It already hosted three concerts in May , the council 's statement said . The promoter surrendered Tuesday , saying it had `` exhausted all avenues regarding the staging of this event . '' Several dozen angry fans gathered outside the stadium Tuesday to protest with chants and signs , demanding the shows be allowed . CNN 's Joan Yeam contributed to this report .
Ireland 's Brooks approves just three nights , but Garth Brooks demanded five . `` No concerts will take place , '' Brooks promoter announced Thursday . Brooks put his music career on hold Tuesday to raise his daughters . A news conference is set for Tuesday for an expected world tour announcement .