Oasis Wolfe Tones speculation: Liam Gallagher urged to reflect on three IRA bomb attacks on his home city of Manchester before asking band famous for IRA chant to open his gig in Dublin
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has been urged to reflect on three IRA bomb attacks on his home city of Manchester before asking a band known for an IRA-linked chant to open his gig in Dublin.
Social media exchanges began after the singer suggested on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday that he would like to have controversial republican band the Wolfe Tones open at the Oasis gig in Dublin next year.
The Provisional IRA launched three separate bomb attacks on the Gallagher brothers home city of Manchester during the Troubles - in 1975, 1992 and 1996. The attacks injured almost 300 people and caused hundreds of millions of pounds in damage to the city.
Oasis recently announced a reunion tour, causing huge excitement among fans. Many Northern Ireland fans have forked out handsomely for tickets to their Dublin gigs over two nights in August next year.
However comments from Liam on social media have caused some concern.
On Sunday he was asked by a social media account on X called "Irish Unity", what he thought of the idea of The Wolfe Tones opening their concert at Croke Park in Dublin.
Liam replied: "I’m up for it, let's do it."
The Wolfe Tones have long stoked controversy over their song Celtic Symphony, which contains the line "Ooooo, Ahhhh, Up the RA" in the chorus.
IRA victims and their representatives have long said the lyrics are very offensive and hurtful. However the band strongly defends singing the lyrics, to which thousands of people often chant along at their concerts.
Liam's comments about inviting the band to open for him prompted almost 170 comments on X so far. Many fans were clearly thrilled by the idea but others voiced grave concern.
@Devilman_77 urged him to consider the three separate IRA bomb attacks on Manchester during the Troubles before inviting the Wolfe Tones.
Other social media users also responded. @Belfast Boy asked "Maybe spare a thought for the 1700 victims of the IRA that they glorify?"
@UlsterTimes urged him to consider the families of IRA victims. He said: "The Wolfe Tones sing songs praising the IRA. I assume that was a joke about having them play. If not, there will be a lot of annoyed victims and their families who have suffered at the hands of terrorist thugs."
@NS_1872 claimed that he had taken drastic action already. "Just ripped up my 2 tickets mate," he said.
But @GarethE94 struck a more conciliatory tone. "Do us a favour Liam and keep the reunion gigs free from politics," he urged.
The IRA chant popularised by the Wolfe Tones has passed into wider culture, with the Irish women's football team being fined by UEFA for chanting it in their changing room in 2022.
Co Down comedian Paddy Kielty, whose father was murdered by loyalists, appeared on RTE last year with chat show host Tommy Tiernan where he discussed the chant.
Kielty urged Irish citizens to consider how they would feel if the Northern Ireland football team sang sectarian songs while urging them to rejoin the British Commonwealth.
The comedian also urged Irish citizens to be more empathetic if they were serious about bringing unionists into a united Ireland.
The News Letter has reached out to Oasis and the Wolfe Tones for comment.