This Thursday, May 26 the Irish rebel band Wolfe Tones are taking part in the Félie Sa Ghrian event at Es Gremi in Palma at 7pm with doors opening at 6pm.
Tickets at www.gr8events.ie/feilesaghrian
The festival starts on Tuesday, May 23 until Thursday, May 26. Click here for entire line up.
The origins of the group date back to August 1963, where three neighbouring children from the Dublin suburb of Inchicore, Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle, and Liam Courtney, had been musical friends from childhood. In August 1964 Brian's brother Derek Warfield joined the band, and in November 1964 Tommy Byrne replaced Courtney, creating the band's most recognizable line-up, which would last for nearly 37 years until January 2001.
In 1989, a contract was signed by Derek Warfield, signing rights to an American distributor, Shanachie Records. The contents of this contract were apparently misrepresented to the other members of the band, resulting in a clause that prevented them from recording any new material. Unable to reverse this agreement, they continued to tour, albeit without any new material.
In 1995, Derek Warfield released a solo studio album entitled Legacy as he was still eligible to record under his own name. With Derek on vocals and mandolin, the music on this album was performed by a new band, although he was still in fact touring with the Wolfe Tones. Derek's solo releases continued annually until 2006.
In 2001, after a show played in Limerick, Derek Warfield departed the band to concentrate on his own career. Calling themselves "Brian Warfield, Tommy Byrne and Noel Nagle, formerly of the Wolfe Tones" the three would later go on to release You'll Never Beat the Irish and the more recent album Child of Destiny.
The Wolfe Tones continue to tour, but as a 3-piece band comprising Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle and Tommy Byrne.
In January 2020, the band's version of Come Out Ye Black and Tans reached No. 1 on the Ireland and UK iTunes charts, following criticism of the Irish government's planned commemoration of the RIC, as part of its 'Decade of Commemoration'. As a result of this, on 10 January, the song entered the Irish Singles Chart at No. 33 and also debuted at No. 1 in the Scottish Singles Chart.