The Wolfe Tones

Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle and Tommy Byrne today comprise the World's most popular Irish folk group, The Wolfe Tones. But the Trio's story wasn't one of overnight success. In fact the bones of the group first saw the light of day as far back as 1963. It was then that three neighbouring children from a quiet working-class Dublin suburb, Inchicore, brothers Brian and Derek and a pal Noel Nagle started playing round the fleadhs of Ireland more for fun than anything else. They used to get together at weekends playing Fleadh cheoils or music festivals, mainly as a pastime. Thoughts of fame and riches were a world apart. Brian and Noel had taken tin whistle lessons at the Pipers Club in Thomas Street in Dublin, while Derek took up the mandolin for no better reason than his father played it. During the summer of 1963 the four of them had hitch-hiked across Ireland, from Dublin to Kerry, for a weekend at a Fleadh Ceoil, an annual gathering of traditional Irish musicians where there's lashings of drink and non-stop music. The lads were really there for the beer although they did play and sing, but only for their own amusement. It was later that year while they were waiting in a pub in the village of Kilrush, County Clare to catch a ferry across the estuary of the river Shannon to play in Ballybunnion, County Kerry that they named themselves " Wolfe Tones". It was in honour of the 18th Century Irish Nationalist leader who was condemned to death by the occupying British forces but cheated the hangman the night before he was to be executed by cutting his own throat. The name and the symbol it evokes in Irish history and republicanism, has inspired them since. "The name seemed to fit into place from the start, we all nurtured a strong sense of national pride and identity", recalls Brian Warfield. Still working by day and moonlighting around Folk clubs, The Wolfe Tones knew of the Clancy Brothers, who had a cult following in the United States, Europe and Ireland too with their revival of traditional song and music. In Dublin too a band called The Ronnie Drew Group, soon to become the Dubliners, were drawing big crowds to pubs, clubs and theatres. At this time the Irish showband boom was all the rage. Most young people flocked to the ballrooms to see and hear the new and exciting sounds of these young musicians and singers. No longer were band members sitting down behind music stands and playing the strict-tempo ballroom music of the yesterday.Now they were wearing bright colourful clothes and moving all over the stage. The showband scene was ushering in a new sound - a new era. Against all of this, the ballad singers who recalled Irish history or social ills were something of a sideshow - almost a curiosity. Playing in a few pubs that catered for the followers of traditional music, The Wolfe Tones kept going, always having faith in their songs and stories. But it was at a Fleadh Cheoil in Elphin, County Roscommon where they met a young man that was to make the Wolfe Tones a foursome. They saw a singer-guitarist, Tommy Byrne, and were so impressed that they offered him a job - which he accepted. Like the Warfield's and Noel Nagle, Tommy had learned his music the hard way - from musicians at open air festivals. Now, as one of the Wolfe Tones, he was in a real group even though, like the others, he still had a day job. So the Wolfe Tones made the only decision open to them and a wise one it turned out to be. They turned professional in 1964. So following the masses, Noel and Brian then moved to England to work for a while. At nights and weekends, they were making quite a name for themselves in the folk clubs as Irish music was quite a novelty in the clubs there. But, as Brian recalls "there wasn't much money around, so we sang at night and got ourselves jobs during the day. We worked at all kind of jobs from making furniture, making chewing gum, breaking eggs, building sites wherever we could make a bob". By this time there was a mass