Wolfe Tones
Encyclopedia
The Wolfe Tones are an Irish rebel music
band who incorporate elements of Irish traditional music
in their songs. 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.
, brothers Brian and Derek Warfield
and Noel Nagle had been musical friends. They were later joined by Tommy Byrne whom they met when playing at an open air festival (a Fleadh Cheoil
) in Elphin, County Roscommon
in 1964.This subsequently led to the three friends playing at Fleadh Cheoil
and music festivals around Ireland.
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 on bi-annually.
In 2001, after a show played in Limerick, Derek Warfield departed the band under circumstances that remain unknown to this day. Calling themselves "Brian Warfield, Tommy Byrne and Noel Nagle formally of The Wolfe Tones" the three would later go on to release "You'll Never Beat the Irish".
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.
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.
The band composed a magnificent topic on Almirante William Brown
, a hero in Argentina
. The song also named the English invasions of 1806 and 1807 in which the English
"ran out" of Buenos Aires
and the usurpation of the Falkland Islands
in 1833. While the song is in English, the verse in Spanish says "Las Islas Malvinas Argentina"
Irish rebel music
Irish rebel music is a subgenre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish republicanism.-History:...
band who incorporate elements of Irish traditional music
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
in their songs. They are named after the Irish rebel and patriot Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
, with the double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
that a wolf tone
Wolf tone
A wolf tone, or simply a "wolf", is produced when a played note matches the natural resonating frequency of the body of a musical instrument, producing a sustaining sympathetic artificial overtone that amplifies and expands the frequencies of the original note, frequently accompanied by an...
is a spurious sound that can affect instruments of the violin family.
Formation and early years
The origins of the group date back to August 1963, where three neighbouring children from the Dublin suburb of InchicoreInchicore
-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
, brothers Brian and Derek Warfield
Derek Warfield
Derek Warfield is an Irish singer, songwriter, historian, and a founding member of the musical group Wolfe Tones.-Personal life:Warfield was born the eldest of four in Inchicore, Dublin in 1943 and he was educated at Synge Street CBS. He was apprenticed as a tailor until becoming a folk musician....
and Noel Nagle had been musical friends. They were later joined by Tommy Byrne whom they met when playing at an open air festival (a Fleadh Cheoil
Fleadh Cheoil
The Fleadh Cheoil is an Irish music competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann or more commonly known as "Comhaltas" ....
) in Elphin, County Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
in 1964.This subsequently led to the three friends playing at Fleadh Cheoil
Fleadh Cheoil
The Fleadh Cheoil is an Irish music competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann or more commonly known as "Comhaltas" ....
and music festivals around Ireland.
"The Split"
In 1989, a contract was signed by band leader, Derek Warfield, signing rights to an American distributor. The contents of this contract were apparently misrepresented to the other members of the band, resulting in a clause that prevented them from recording. 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 on bi-annually.
In 2001, after a show played in Limerick, Derek Warfield departed the band under circumstances that remain unknown to this day. Calling themselves "Brian Warfield, Tommy Byrne and Noel Nagle formally of The Wolfe Tones" the three would later go on to release "You'll Never Beat the Irish".
Today
The Wolfe Tones continue to tour but as a 3-piece band comprising Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle & Tommy Byrne.The Wolfe Tones celebrated their 45th Anniversary with a special event at the prestigious Waterfront Hall
Waterfront Hall
The Waterfront Hall is a multi-purpose facility, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, designed by local architects' firm Robinson McIlwaine. Practice partner Peter McGukin was the project architect....
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, on Sunday 26 October 2008, which was also filmed for their upcoming documentary.
Notable works
The song Celtic Symphony was written by Brian Warfield in 1987 for the centennial 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
A Nation Once Again
"A Nation Once Again" is a song, written in the early to mid-1840s by Thomas Osborne Davis . Davis was a founder of an Irish movement whose aim was the independence of Ireland....
" by Thomas Osborne Davis
Thomas Osborne Davis (Irish politician)
Thomas Osborne Davis was a revolutionary Irish writer who was the chief organizer and poet of the Young Ireland movement.-Early life:...
was voted the number one song of all time in a BBC World Service vote.
The band composed a magnificent topic on Almirante William Brown
William Brown (admiral)
Admiral William Brown was an Irish-born Argentine Admiral. Brown's victories in the Independence War, the Argentina-Brazil War, and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata earned the respect and appreciation of the Argentine people, and today he is regarded as one of Argentina's national...
, a hero in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The song also named the English invasions of 1806 and 1807 in which the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
"ran out" of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and the usurpation of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
in 1833. While the song is in English, the verse in Spanish says "Las Islas Malvinas Argentina"