The Wolfe Tones fans have descended on London’s Finsbury Park for the legendary Irish folk band’s final performance in the UK.
Band-members Tommy Byrne, Noel Nagle and Brian Warfield are performing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Finsbury Park as they celebrate 6 decades since the band first came together back in 1963. It’s a bittersweet day for the London Irish community and more as the legendary trio will play their biggest but their final show in the UK.
However, some fans attending the long-anticipated gig have said The Wolfe Tones’ final show is in perfect alignment as it falls on the same day as the Tories have been voted out of the UK government in the General Election. Ahead of the show, concert-goers shared their feelings, admitting that they can’t hold back their tears.
“It’s a sad day. I’ve been living in London for over thirty years, and every couple of those years, I’ve been to see the Wolfe Tones, whether that be at a small get together or a huge gig like this one. It’s a sad day for all of us London Irish, but a happy one too, because the Tories are finally out. A bittersweet day you could say,” one concert-goer said.
“The London Irish community are so saddened that this is their final concert here, but it’s going to be a good one. The lads will surely go out with a bang – and what a day to celebrate – the Tories are gone,” another echoed. While another emotional fan told us: “I’ve been tearing up all evening. I can’t believe it’s their last ever show in London. I saw them last year when they had a secret gig in the Faltering Fullback – it’s a night I’ll never forget.”
It comes after Wolfe Tones legend Brian Warfield recently revealed he wrote an emotional ”goodbye song” for die-hard fans attending their final show later this year. The Dublin singer has penned a teary goodbye tune for fans attending the bands final shows at the 3Arena in October – and of course, those in Finsbury Park tonight.
Ahead of his last UK show with the legendary band, Brian, 78, admitted that he won’t be able to hold back the tears during his last concert, saying it will be a “bittersweet” moment. “We’re definitely going to do something special. I’ve written a goodbye song for everybody over the years.
“It’s a story. It’s goodbye to all my friends, every story has an end, it breaks my heart to say a last goodbye to you and everyone. But the story lives on in the music and in song, but it breaks my heart to say a last goodbye. It’s a bittersweet moment and it is going to be sad. I’m going to try and make it as happy as I can but I will have a tear in my eye. There is no doubt about it,” he told Irish Mirror last month.
Brian also teased that fans attending the final shows are in for an emotional goodbye – but also a lovely surprise. “We are together for 60 years this year and any other type of Wolfe Tones just wouldn’t be right. I wouldn’t like to do that. I wouldn’t like to end up like The Dubliners, having every Tom, Dick and Harry at the end of the trail. We go out on a high and we leave the people with a happy memory of all the group and the people that were in it. I think that is the best way to go.
“We really are going out on a high. It is the best way to leave isn’t it, rather than scrambling around with a couple of different guys. It wouldn’t be my way of doing things.”
Despite selling out arenas and pleas from fans to continue making music and touring, the singing legend has insisted that these will be The Wolfe Tones’ final shows and ‘it is what it is’ now.