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{{short description|Irish rebel music band}}
{{about|the Irish rebel band|similar sounding terms|Wolf tone (disambiguation)|the revolutionary leader and leader of the 1798 rebellion which the band is named after|Wolfe Tone}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name             = The Wolfe Tones
| image             = WolfeTonesBayshoreNY.JPG
| caption          = From left to right: [[Brian Warfield]], [[Noel Nagle]] and [[Tommy Byrne (musician)|Tommy Byrne]]
| image_size       = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| background       = group_or_band
| origin           = [[Bluebell, Dublin]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| genre            = [[Music of Ireland|Irish folk]], [[Irish rebel song]]s, 
[[Rock Music|rock]]
| works            = [[The Wolfe Tones discography]]
| years_active     = 1963–2025
| label            = Skin Music, [[Dolphin Records (Ireland)|Dolphin Records]]
| associated_acts  = 
| website          = {{URL|wolfetonesofficialsite.com/}}
| current_members  = Noel Nagle<br/>[[Brian Warfield]]<br/>Tommy Byrne
| past_members     = Liam Courtney<br/>[[Derek Warfield]]}}

'''The Wolfe Tones''' were an [[Irish folk]] and [[ballad]] group, famous for performing [[Irish rebel song|rebel]] songs, historical ballads, and [[Folk music of Ireland|Traditional Irish music]] with strong nationalist themes. Formed in 1963 and retired in 2025 after 62 years, they take their name from [[Wolfe Tone|Theobald Wolfe Tone]], one of the leaders of the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798]], also carrying a double meaning, referencing the [[wolf tone]]; a sound that can affect instruments in the string family of the orchestra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wolfe Tones - Irish folk band known for rebel songs |url=https://www.irishmusicdaily.com/wolfe-tones |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=Irish Music Daily |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Johnson String Instrument - What are Wolf Tones? |url=https://www.johnsonstring.com/resources/what-are-wolf-tones/}}</ref>

The Wolfe Tones being one of the longest standing ballad groups in Ireland, gathered popularity from their distinctive melodies and a repertoire that mixes traditional tunes with original songs about Irish history, politics, and culture.

==History==
===1963–1964: Formation===
The origins of the group date back to August 1963, where [[Brian Warfield]], Noel Nagle, and Liam Courtney had been neighbours as children in the Dublin suburb of [[Inchicore]]. In August 1964, Brian's brother [[Derek Warfield]] joined the band, and in November 1964 Tommy Byrne replaced Courtney, creating the band's most recognizable line-up, which would last for nearly 37 years until January 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irish-folk-songs.com/the-wolfe-tones-story.html|title=The Wolfe Tones story|website=Irish folk songs}}</ref>

===1964–2001===
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 touring with the Wolfe Tones. Derek's solo releases continued annually until 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Derek Warfield |url=http://www.theyoungwolfetones.com/?page_id=21 |website=Derek Warfield The Young Wolfe Tones |publisher=The Young Wolfe Tones |access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref>

=== 2001–present ===
The Wolfe Tones continued to tour as a three-piece band.<ref>{{cite web |author=Rory Warfield |url=http://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com |title=Wolfetonesofficialsite.com |publisher=Wolfetonesofficialsite.com |access-date=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829200733/http://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com/ |archive-date=29 August 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In 2022–2024, the band played shows in the [[Olympia Theatre, Dublin]], the [[INEC Ireland]], [[Broadway (Manhattan)]] in [[New York City|New York]], the [[Chicago Athenaeum|Atheneum Chicago]] and [[Electric Picnic]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='This tent is too small for them' – The Wolfe Tones attract record crowd at Electric Picnic |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/this-tent-is-too-small-for-them-the-wolfe-tones-attract-record-crowd-at-electric-picnic/a1240624193.html |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=Independent.ie |date=3 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

However, they announced their retirement in 2023, with a 60th-anniversary tour to conclude their career. As well as gigs in the US, the band played concerts at [[Galway Airport]], [[Castlebar]], [[County Mayo|Co. Mayo]] and in the [[3Arena (Dublin)|3Arena]], with the band's advertised final gig taking place in [[Dublin]] on 13 October 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wolfetones Shows and Tours |url=https://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com/tours |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=wolfetonesofficial |language=en}}</ref>

On 23 August 2024, the band released a final single, ''Goodbye to All Our Friends''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mallon |first1=Sandra |last2=Updated |date=2024-06-14 |title=Wolfe Tones legend Brian Warfield writes emotional 'goodbye song' for final show |url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/wolfe-tones-legend-brian-warfield-29351954.amp |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Dublin Live |language=en}}</ref>

Despite the 3Arena show being advertised as the bands final gig, the band announced two shows at [[Thomond Park]] in [[Limerick]] for July 2025, as well as a gig in [[Liverpool]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wolfe Tones announce ‘final farewell’ show next year in Limerick |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2024/10/23/the-wolfe-tones-announce-final-farewell-show-next-year-in-limerick/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-11-05 |title=On the Waterfront presents The Wolfe as Friday Headliner for 2025 |url=https://www.explore-liverpool.com/on-the-waterfront-presents-the-wolfe-as-friday-headliner-for-2025/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Explore Liverpool |language=en-GB}}</ref> The final concert took place at Thomond Park on 13 July, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O’Donoghue |first=Denise |date=2025-07-13 |title='True rebels, true patriots': Wolfe Tones play final ever gig at Thomond Park, Limerick |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41669123.html |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}</ref>

== Notable works ==
{{Irish republicanism|Culture}}
The song "Irish Eyes" was written by Brian Warfield as a [[paean]] for his mother Kathleen who died of cancer the year prior to its release. A song about emigration to London entitled "My Heart is in Ireland"  became a number 2 hit for the band. The song “''[[Celtic Symphony (Wolfe Tones song)|Celtic Symphony]]”''was written by Warfield in 1987 for the centenary of [[Celtic Football Club]]. Other songs written by the group include "Joe McDonnell", a song about the life and death of the [[Provisional IRA]] member [[Joe McDonnell (hunger striker)|Joe McDonnell]], who was the fifth person to die on the [[1981 Hunger Strike]]; and "The Protestant Men", a song about notable [[Protestant Irish nationalists]]. The band also covered "The Streets of New York", written by Liam Reilly from [[Bagatelle (band)|Bagatelle]] who was inspired by stories of the Tones' friendship with the NYPD{{who|date=October 2024}}.

Footballer [[James McClean]] attracted criticism when he tweeted that he listened to their rendition of “[[The Broad Black Brimmer]]” before a match, a song in which a son learns of how his father was killed in fighting for the IRA. He was told by club manager [[Martin O'Neill]] to refrain from using Twitter.<ref>{{Cite news |last=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=27 February 2013 |title=James McClean closes Twitter account after Wolfe Tones song row |publisher=BBC News |location=Northern Ireland |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21600688 |access-date=22 April 2017}}</ref>

In 2002, after an allegedly orchestrated e-mail campaign by fans to "try and mess it up"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paterson |first=Michael |date=14 December 2002 |title=Late surge for Irish anthem in BBC poll |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1416120/Late-surge-for-Irish-anthem-in-BBC-poll.html |access-date=20 January 2014 |website=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vivek Chaudhary, chief sports correspondent |date=3 December 2003 |title=Gaelic footballer's fans try to topple Jonny Wilkinson by rigging sport poll &#124; Media |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/dec/03/digitalmedia.bbc |access-date=20 January 2014 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> their rendition of "[[A Nation Once Again]]" by [[Thomas Osborne Davis (Irish politician)|Thomas Osborne Davis]] was voted the number one song of all time in a BBC World Service poll.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 December 2002 |title=BBC.co.uk |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2591357.stm |access-date=20 January 2014 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The BBC hosts an artist's page for the band that includes excerpts of their songs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wolfe Tones - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/972821cc-a0c8-45bc-919a-a899190e740e |website=BBC}}</ref>

The band's 1982 hit “[[Admiral William Brown]]” pays homage to the Irish-born Argentine sailor [[William Brown (admiral)|William Brown]].

In January 2020, the band's version of "[[Come Out Ye Black and Tans]]" reached No. 1 on the Ireland and UK [[iTunes]] charts, following criticism of the Irish government's planned commemoration of the [[Royal Irish Constabulary|RIC]], as part of its '[[Irish revolutionary period#Commemoration|Decade of Commemoration]]'.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2020 |title=Come Out Ye Black And Tans is number 1 in Irish and UK iTunes charts |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/come-out-ye-black-and-tans-is-number-1-in-irish-and-uk-itunes-charts-1.4135091 |access-date=10 January 2020}}</ref> As a result of this, on 10 January, the song entered the [[Irish Singles Chart]] at No. 33<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2020 |title=Justin Bieber scores the highest new entry on the Official Irish Singles Chart with Yummy |work=[[Official Charts Company]] |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/justin-bieber-scores-the-highest-new-entry-on-the-official-irish-singles-chart-with-yummy__28200/ |access-date=10 January 2020}}</ref> and also debuted at No. 1 in the [[Scottish Singles and Albums Charts|Scottish Singles Chart]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2020 |title=Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 |work=[[Official Charts Company]] |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/ |access-date=10 January 2020}}</ref>

==Personnel==

===Members===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Final lineup
* Noel Nagle – tin whistle, low whistle, uileann pipes, vocals <small>(1963–2025)</small>
* [[Brian Warfield]] – banjo, whistle, harp, piano, guitars, bodhran, vocals <small>(1963–2025)</small>
* Tommy Byrne – guitars, vocals <small>(1964–2025)</small>
{{col-2}}
;Former members
* Liam Courtney – guitars, vocals <small>(1963–1964)</small>
* [[Derek Warfield]] – mandolin, vocals <small>(1964–2001)</small>
{{col-end}}

===Lineups===
{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="float: width: 375px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #E2E2E2;" width=99%
|-
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | August 1963 – August 1964
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | August 1964 – November 1964
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | November 1964 – January 2001
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | January 2001 – October 2025
|-
| valign=top |
* '''Liam Courtney''' – guitars, vocals
* '''Noel Nagle''' – tin whistle, low whistle, uileann pipes, vocals
* '''[[Brian Warfield]]''' – banjo, whistle, harp, piano, guitars, bodhran, vocals
| valign=top |
* '''Liam Courtney''' – guitars, vocals
* '''Noel Nagle''' – tin whistle, low whistle, uileann pipes, vocals
* '''Brian Warfield''' – banjo, whistle, harp, piano, guitars, bodhran, vocals
* '''[[Derek Warfield]]''' – mandolin, vocals
| valign=top |
* '''Noel Nagle''' – tin whistle, low whistle, uileann pipes, vocals
* '''Brian Warfield''' – banjo, whistle, harp, piano, guitars, bodhran, vocals
* '''Derek Warfield''' – mandolin, vocals
* '''Tommy Byrne''' – guitars, vocals
| valign=top |
* '''Noel Nagle''' – tin whistle, low whistle, uileann pipes, vocals
* '''Brian Warfield''' – banjo, whistle, harp, piano, guitars, bodhran, vocals
* '''Tommy Byrne''' – guitars, vocals
|}

==Discography==
{{Main article|The Wolfe Tones discography}}

;Studio albums
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* ''[[The Foggy Dew (album)|The Foggy Dew]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Up the Rebels]]'' (1966)
* ''[[The Rights of Man (album)|The Rights of Man]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Rifles of the I.R.A.]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Let the People Sing (album)|Let the People Sing]]'' (1972)
* ''[['Till Ireland a Nation]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Irish to the Core]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Across the Broad Atlantic]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Belt of the Celts]]'' (1978)
* ''[[Spirit of the Nation]]'' (1981)
* ''[[As Gaeilge]]'' (1982)
* ''[[A Sense of Freedom (album)|A Sense of Freedom]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Profile (Wolfe Tones album)|Profile]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Sing Out for Ireland]]'' (1987)
* ''[[25th Anniversary (Wolfe Tones album)|25th Anniversary]]'' (1989)
* ''[[You'll Never Beat the Irish]]'' (2001)
* ''[[The Troubles (Wolfe Tones album)|The Troubles]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Child of Destiny]]'' (2011)
* ''The Dublin Rebellion 1916'' (2016)
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com/ Wolfe Tones Official Website]
* [http://www.dmceventpromotions.com/ DMC Event Promotions (Wolfe Tones Management)]

{{The Wolfe Tones}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolfe Tones}}
[[Category:Irish folk music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1963]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Irish political music groups]]
[[Category:Irish republican musicians]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Irish-language musical groups]]
[[Category:1960s in Irish music]]
[[Category:1970s in Irish music]]
[[Category:1980s in Irish music]]
[[Category:1990s in Irish music]]
[[Category:2000s in Irish music]]
[[Category:2010s in Irish music]]
[[Category:2020s in Irish music]]