Bruce Springsteen makes it a first concert to remember for Co Armagh schoolgirl

The 74-year-old rock star gave seven-year-old Farrah Lavery a hug and a guitar pick in front of 40,000 people at Boucher Road Playing Fields as he sang Hungry Heart.

Those lucky enough to make it to the front row had plenty of chances for some interaction with The Boss as he high-fived and hugged those in the crowd throughout the night.

Heartfelt moment as Bruce Springsteen hugs young fan at Belfast concert

Young Farrah from Craigavon said she felt “really special and excited” when she got the chance to meet Springsteen.

The show at Boucher Road Playing Fields was Farrah’s first-ever concert and getting a hug from Springsteen certainly made it memorable.

"He came down and I gave him an 'I love you' sign and he said it back to me the second time he came down,” she told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster.

"He gave me a hug. I love him. I have been a fan for my whole life.”

Farrah attended the concert with her mum Michelle, her brother Finn and dad Paul.

The Lavery family are Springsteen superfans, with Michelle having seen The Boss 50 times in various venues across the world.

"Bruce is always on in the car, I know it sounds a cliché but he is the soundtrack to our lives,” she said. "I have travelled all over to see Bruce.

"A highlight was seeing him at Fenway Park in Boston in 2012 — that was special.

"But nothing beats seeing him in Ireland on home turf.”

Michelle said the family had an amazing time at the star’s first Belfast concert in 11 years.

"It was unbelievable, we could never have predicted this would have happened," she said.

"It was like the perfect storm, Farrah's first concert and a brilliant family experience.”

Another Springsteen superfan who had a memorable night yesterday was Co Tyrone woman, Mary T Conway.

The star invited Mary to dance to Hungry Heart during the concert.

Mary has been a Springsteen fan since she was a teenager and said she was blown away when The Boss invited her up for a dance during the show.

“I have been a big fan of Bruce for 40 years and I couldn’t believe it,” the Creggan woman told We Are Tyrone.

Mary attended the concert with her two daughters, Caoimhe and Niamh.

“During the song Hungry Heart he was walking around greeting fans in the front row.

“Me and my daughters were sitting by the side of the stage at the pit and he walked right over, maintained full-eye contact and reached out his hand and beckoned me to come over.

“There was no stopping me. I felt very privileged and very, very lucky,” she said.

Springsteen and the all-important E Street Band were visiting Belfast on their 2024 world tour.

The European leg of the world tour kicked off in Cardiff on Sunday and Belfast was its second show.

After the Belfast gig, Springsteen's next date is in Kilkenny at UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday.

Then he heads to Cork to play at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, on Thursday, before travelling to Dublin where he is playing Croke Park on Sunday, May 19.