Young people singing rebel songs run the risk of romanticising the “horrible and ugly” Troubles, according to Shane Coleman.
Yesterday, The Wolfe Tones performed for the biggest crowd in Electric Picnic’s Electric Arena since the festival started 14 years ago.
Although many of the songs by the rebel music group were written before many attendees were born, the crowd had a wide range of ages – many of whom sang ‘Oh, ah, up the Ra’ to the band’s song ‘Celtic Symphony’.
Host Shane Coleman said “kids will be kids” at festivals.
“If I was 22, I’d probably be in the middle, doing exactly the same thing,” he said.
Shane said he is concerned by the idea of “rewriting history”.
“I think there is now a mythology about the Troubles and the 25 years from 1969 to 1994 that it was a kind of a glorious war,” he said.
“I think people who were at that gig yesterday are too young – they weren’t even born when it happened, and they’re too young to remember that it was horrible and it was ugly.”
Violence
Shane said there is a “worrying and dangerous” view that has taken hold that there was “no alternative” to The Troubles and that it was a “great and glorious war”.
“It wasn’t – it was an ugly, nasty, violent war,” he said.
“I want to stress, I’m not having a go at those kids who are singing, but I do worry about rewriting history.”
Distance and time
Fellow host Ciara Kelly said a “romanticised notion” of rebels and rebellions was an inevitable part of the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement.
“The distance and time was always going to do this,” she said.
“It has become sort of folk legend or something and there is a romanticised notion of rebels and rebellions.
“I’m not sure that they differentiate between the provisional IRA and the old IRA and all the things that maybe we did because that was where we were from.”
War
Ciara said the romanticised idea of The Troubles is reminiscent of her childhood in post-war Ireland.
“I grew up as a small child in the 70s, and everything on TV was about World War Two,” she said.
“I thought it was ancient history. It could have been the 1700s for all I realised.
“It had ended 26 years before I was born, so it ended in the equivalent of 1997. That’s what it is for kids now.”
Ciara said The Good Friday Agreement now seems like “ancient history” for young people.
“It’s a generation ago and they’re never going to view it the same as people who lived through it and who saw it and who experienced it, and I guess nothing’s going to change that,” she said.
#electricpicnic #wolfetones #ireland
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Newstalk once again talking nonsense
And the British army…eh?
Let the people sing
Let the people sing the stories and the songs and the music of their Native land. 🇮🇪
"Woke News talk" at it again.
What about whats going on now is that not rewriting history, being taken over again and being sold out again by our government. Rebel songs are part of our culture get over it, it must be terrible to have a muzzle on that you cant really say what you want to say.
Kids having fun. Get over yerselves Newstalk. Ye sound like the two old codgers from the Muppet Show.
Hell yeah if I knew I would of went
I’m 49 so remember the troubles. So do we stop all rebel songs also. Some kids know more about the history of here than most of Ireland. On the other hand it is just part of a song. If it was oh ah up the (insert other parties) would it be easier on the pallet? What next the cranberries zombie? Where does cancel culture stop? How much of our history needs to be erased for to help the fefe’s of those who may be offended? Or do we go back to a time when there was prayers in the classroom before it was stopped because it was racist to other religions beliefs yet their beliefs are safe. On a last note some of the people that would be singing it may have come from war torn countries and know war better than we may and the fact people that believed in our flag so much they know and understand we were also two nations decided. Should up the ra part be taken out? Possibly or just add Paul McGrath again.
This is all part of the Shinner re-write of the Troubles. I lived through the Troubles and what I find most odd about the Sinn Fein mantra of, "no alternative," is that they and their Provo buddies ended up settling for a deal that was almost identical to what had been on offer from the British government in 1972. My own brother was beaten up by IRA thugs simply because he was an election canvasser for the early Alliance Party in Belfast. The much vaunted Ra, was made up of bigotry and hatred; just as bigoted as their Loyalist counterparts. Not quite the heroes they are being made out to be. Growing up in 1970s west Belfast, I actually feared, "the boys" more than the Brits.
Hahaha cry more 😂😂😂
I do find it 'funny' peculiar that people will engage in ridiculous debates about the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, but almost near silence on the effects of the Civil War & (short but brief) Anglo Irish war that followed the signing of the Treaty that (effectively) gave the Republic of Ireland it's exit from the British Empire, and thus it's independence. No one wants to debate how all that led to the Civil Rights protests IN Northern Ireland and thus sparked the "Troubles". It seems 'HISTORY' only happens in Northern Ireland.
My comment got deleted by Newstalk lol. Propaganda clowns.
Great to see the younger generation appreciate good irish music, get a life you two,it's music ,both of you were well insulated from the troubles so shut up you've no idea,and yes it was a just war,are you aware of the brits put this country through????
Love the Wolfe tones proud of them
You can make the same kind of arguements for rap music since it romanticises drugs and gang violence yet alot of those songs get played on the radio let people listen to what they want!
The kids are smarter than you,history always wins out.The wolfe tones are singing about true heros,men that engaged an oppressive foreign regime.Get a grip!If you want to talk about atrocity the ill post you librarys sized lists detailing Britains.
Jesus they hate that people had a good time singing Irish songs.
Are you even Irish at all if your crying over the lyrics
We should brush everything of our past under the carpet and never again see the positive of all men who would go far enough as to risk their very own life to fight for their rights and freedoms. Amen.
Let the people sing
The people in government and the people in the media I don't believe represent the feelings of the Irish people who i think love the song"celtic symphony " and anybody I've spoken to about it think it would be ridiculous to stop people singing it or any other wolf tone songs .it reminds me of banning rule brittania from the proms absolutely ridiculous,pandering to politic correct madness. People get offended fact of life.ive been offended many times its part of being human
‘horrible and ugly’ Troubles tend to happen in Apartheid states like NI used to be, when people were under the jackboot and had no-one to help them. It may be insensitive to sing about it, but I wouldn't lay a guilt trip on the kids. Go to an 11th night bonfire if you really want to see ‘horrible and ugly’
Let them sing 😅😅 also they can call themselve a fridge or cat, 😂😂😂 , don't upset them😅😅
Would need an example of how it rewrites history. It recalls history from a certain point of view through the medium of music. Plenty people affiliate themselves with the IRA or the idea of it culturally and historically so they have the right to sing these songs if they wish. I don’t think singing a wolf tones song is making kids my age pick up guns in any way, it’s just a cultural thing and for many is NOT glamorising violence but remembering it and it’s different uses, be it good or bad.
Most of them even too young to sing Ooh Ah Cantona
Ireland has a double standards problem that needs to be niped in the bud. If you have no problem inadvertently glorifying a paramilitary organisation responsible for most of the deaths of Irish Catholics, Women and children then you have no right to complain when the Loyalists do the same in July season because you are just as bad.
When it's a crowd of young Irish people with drink sing about a paramilitary organisation it's a bit of "Harmless fun"
When its a crowd of Loyalists sing about a paramilitary organisation it's Sectarianism and bigotry.
"Are people glamourising the IRA?"
No you're just sensationalising. Guarantee most people that were there are more worried about needing a few panadol, than going on about The Troubles.