The Patriotic Spirit of Irish Music

Derek Warfield is one of the great Irish ballad singers but he’s also much more – a founding member and long-serving front man of the legendary Wolfe Tones, a charismatic all-round performer, a historian, retriever and writer of songs and a man who cares passionately for the Irish song tradition.

Back in the early 1960s when Derek was helping to rear a young family with his late wife Nuala, lie the beginnings of the phenomenon that was The Wolfe Tones. At the time, he was performing regularly with his neighbour in the Bluebell area of Dublin, guitarist Philip Woodnut. They played and sang together informally at Fleadhs and Festivals from the time they went to the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Gorey in County Wexford in August 1962.

The Wolfe Tones were Derek and Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle and Tommy Byrne, while Philip Woodnet, Paudy Keohane and Liam Courtney were also involved for a time. The band was to remain together, singing, playing, touring and recording, for 37 years until Derek’s departure in 2001. By then they had an astounding 17 albums to their credit.  Remarkably, in addition to everything that he recorded with the Wolfe Tones, Derek has also composed and recorded 70 of his own songs and ballads. Many of these songs, such as ‘St. Patrick’s Day’, ‘Admiral William Brown’, ‘The Ballad of New Grange (Bru na Boinne)’ and ‘The Piper That Played Before Moses’, are modern favorites.

He continues to be kept busy performing throughout Europe and in North America. In 44 years on the road he’s enjoyed many highlights, performing at venues which include the likes of Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London. There have been countless best-selling albums, number 1 hits and television and radio appearances along the way.

“I believe that these songs will be renewed and will remain important, but you can’t take any tradition for granted. So we’re presenting an old tradition in a new package – and I’ve the same passion for it now as I had when it all started 44 years ago!”

Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones concert at the Barbican Centre, William St. Drogheda, Friday April 22nd 2016 at 8pm.

Tickets on sale from www.tickets.ie and the Barbican Centre Ticket Office.

Click here for faster ticket sales: http://tinyurl.com/jq33zrl

Prices: €20 ***Limited Seating***