Bruce Springsteen has arrived in Ireland ahead of three eagerly anticipated concerts at the RDS in Dublin over the coming days. 

"The Boss" Bruce Springsteen paid a visit to Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan ahead of his concerts in Dublin on May 5, 7, and 9, which are expected to draw a combined 114,000 people. 

MacGowan's wife Victoria Mary Clarke shared a photo of Springsteen and MacGowan enjoying a close embrace and described Springsteen as a "truly wonderful person."

"What an amazing honor and a beautiful experience to get a visit from The Boss," Clarke said on Twitter. 

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! pic.twitter.com/waXwmWOHTZ

— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) May 3, 2023

Springsteen previously spoke about the respect he holds for MacGowan during an interview with RTE's "Late Late Show" host Ryan Tubridy. 

"He's the man, you know? I truly believe as I sit on my radio show, that a hundred years from now, most of us will be forgotten. But I do believe that Shane's music is going to be remembered and sung. It's just deep in the nature of it," Springsteen told Tubridy. 

He also praised his Irish fans in the interview, describing them as "the best in the world."

Springsteen returns to Ireland for the first time since 2016, when he played two sold-out shows at Dublin's Croke Park. All three of his upcoming gigs are completely sold out, according to a spokesperson for Aiken Promotions. 

The spokesperson told the Irish Times that Springsteen will perform "a multitude of hits" over the course of three hours with no support act. 

The spokesperson could not confirm if Springsteen would bring out any special guests during his Dublin concerts. The New Jersey rocker brought out former First Lady Michelle Obama for a rendition of "Glory Days" during a recent gig in Barcelona and in 2016, hometown hero Bono was a surprise guest in Croke Park.

Springsteen played his first-ever Irish concert in 1985 when he rocked out at Slane in Co Meath.

Though forever associated with New Jersey, Springsteen has considerable Irish roots - his great-great-great-grandfather Christy Gerrity was from Co Kildare. 

Gerrity and his family left Ireland during the Famine before settling in New Jersey. 

Springsteen discussed his Irish roots after receiving an Ellis Island Medal Award in 2010. He thanked the Irish side of his family the O’Farrells, Garrity, and McNicholas clans, and stated his wife Patty who is also part Irish and he had continued the great Mid-New Jersey tradition of Irish and Italians marrying.