There is a perception amongst some Irish and English people that The Wolfe Tones and their fantastic music are anti-English. This couldn’t be further from the truth.  They are simply anti-oppression.  Remember that the English establishment who oppressed the Irish also oppressed the English working class. The Wolfe Tones simply recorded the history of Ireland with fantastic songwriting and performing talent, and nobody could have possibly achieved that in the manner that they have done.

I remember a time when in the 70s and 80s the ordinary “Joe Soap” in Ireland was completely behind The Wolfe Tones.  We are all grateful that there is peace in the North now, but there are a certain element of the Irish population – God… oh sorry, I mean *Bono* – and the Press, who think The Wolfe Tones should shut up now.  I understand the North is a very sensitive issue and people´s lives are at stake, but it’s ludicrous to think we should be expected to forget the recent and not so recent past, and I can’t understand why some people, both Irish and English, don’t realise that The Wolfe Tones are and have always been singing about peace, equality and freedom, and for all, and those who fought and paid the ultimate price for that equality.

It’s worth remembering that the recent troubles erupted not because the North was under English control, but because the nationalist community were discriminated against in so many terrible ways.  The proof of this is that we now have, thankfully, peace in the North, and it’s still under the control of London, but now there is no discrimination (or very little) if any, I hope, and not just against the nationalist community.

I believe that we should have a 32 county Ireland for the very simple reason that the six counties are simply the North of Ireland, and not the West of England.  They say that it’s about the wishes of the majority, but does that mean if the majority of the population of Kilburn in London are Irish that it should be controlled by Dublin???  I also believe that anybody who is English should be and is welcome and treated equally in Ireland to live and work, but that they should respect the fact that they are in Ireland, just as the Irishman working and living in England must respect the fact and the people around him when he is living in England, and he must also be treated equally.

We should all be thankful that there is peace in the North now and hope it stays that way forever, but we should never forget those who fought for justice and those who told the story through their music.  I am completely convinced that the songs of The Wolfe Tones will live hundreds of years longer than anything God… oh sorry, I mean *Bono*… ever wrote.

Having a quiet few pints with Brian Warfield the other night, he became very emotional and passionate about the images and news coming from Gaza, and rightly so.  Unfortunately it’s another story of oppression, and let’s hope and pray that it comes to an end straight away.