The Wolfe Tones
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The Wolfe Tones |
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The Wolfe Tones are an Irish rebel music band deeply rooted in Irish traditional music. They are named after the Irish rebel and patriot Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, with the double entendre that a wolf tone is a spurious sound that can affect instruments of the violin family.
Formation and early years
The origins of the group date back to 1963, where three neighbouring children from the Dublin suburb of Inchicore, brothers Brian and Derek Warfield and Noel Nagle, began to play together for their own amusement. This subsequently led to the three friends playing at Fleadh Cheoil and music festivals around Ireland.
Brian Warfield recalls on the 2004 DVD that they have spent more than 14 years of their lives in America, when adding up weeks and months of tour dates over their career.
Today
The Wolfe Tones continue to tour but as a 3-piece band comprising Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle & Tommy Byrne their official site.
The Wolfe Tones celebrated their 45th Anniversary with a special event at the prestigious Waterfront Hall, Belfast, on Sunday 26 October, 2008, which was also filmed for their upcoming documentary.
Notable works
The well known song "Celtic Symphony" was written by Brian Warfield back in 1987 for the 100th birthday of Celtic Football Club. It has been covered by countless bands around the world. Other famous songs written by the group include Joe McDonnell, a song about the life and death of the IRA member who was the fifth person to die on the 1981 Hunger Strike.
Their rendition of "A Nation Once Again" by Thomas Osborne Davis was voted the number one song of all time in a BBC World Service vote.[1]
Discography
- 2006 As Gaeilge
- 2005 Profile
- 2005 You'll Never Beat the Irish
- 2005 We Must Carry On
- 1993 Sing Out For Ireland
- 1993 Irish to the Core
- 1993 Across the Broad Atlantic
- 1993 Belt of the Celts
- 1991 Profile
- 1991 Rifles of the IRA (from a former LP)
- 1987 A Sense of Freedom
- 1986 Live Alive-Oh
- 1964 Spirit of the Nation
- 1963 Let the People Sing
Box Set/Compilation
- 2000 The Wolfe Tones Greatest Hits
- 1963 25th Anniversary