'Bit of a culture shock' - Oasis star Noel Gallagher recalls summers in Ireland
The well-known star told Gay Byrne he was 'half Irish'
Noel Gallagher opened up about his summers in Ireland as he told Gay Byrne, in an archived clip shared by RTÉ he was "half Irish."
Noel told Gay Byrne: "My mother is from Mayo and my father is from Meath. So that makes me exactly half, although I am not sure which half. My mam used to drag us by the ear across the Irish Sea to spend summer holidays there. We had never seen the likes of nettles, fields and stacks of hay and all that so she was determined to give us a bit of Irish culture and it was a bit of a culture shock but we grew to love it and we still do."
A Mayo pub owner whose tavern has been frequented by Noel and Liam Gallagher on several occasions has said he hopes the newly reunited musicians will visit him next year.
JJ Finan, owner of John Finan’s hardware store and pub on The Square, said he is ‘delighted’ to see Oasis announce their reformation for a highly-anticipated reunion tour.
The legendary Britpop band are due to play a fourteen-gig tour of the UK and Ireland next year, starting with a concert in Cardiff and ending with two gigs in Croke Park on August 16/17.
Born and raised in Manchester to Irish parents, the brothers have always maintained strong links with their mother Peggy’s native Charlestown.
The Gallaghers often visited the East Mayo town as children, where they holidayed with late grandmother, Maggie Sweeney.
The pair continued to visit the area during the height of their fame, with Liam treating some locals to a couple of tunes in Finan’s back in 2015.
Mr Finan said he had ‘memorable nights’ any time either brother would call.
“They were two nice lads to me. They were very sociable types of lads, we had good craic,” he said, describing the famous brothers as ‘gentlemen’.
“We had memorable nights in the pub and the grandmother was there for years and she came in and did her shopping there. That’s how I got to know through them, through the grandmother.”
Liam and Noel visited several local establishments during their visits, including James Casey’s.
“It’s gone now - James sold it - but they called into me after that,” explained Mr Finan.
“Liam liked a game of pool and they called to me afterwards but he called several times. It’s years now since he called. They are nice lads, good sociable types of lads and good character and nice to talk to.”
Earlier today, Charlestown GAA shared a photo of Liam Gallagher launching the club’s website before extending an invitation to the Gallaghers to their ‘spiritual home’ at Fr O’Hara Park.
“I hope they do,” Mr Finan said when asked if he would like to see the brothers visit their ancestral home.
“I’d be delighted to have the two of them play again or come in for a cup of tea or a drink or something like that, I’d be delighted to have them. They are very nice lads and they are good friends of mine, they have been good friends of mine. They have complimented my pub a few times in the paper and stuff like that. As far as I’m concerned I’m delighted to see them back.”
In 2015, Liam, the younger of the brothers, was pictured with a ‘Keep calm and Mayo for Sam’ t-shirt at Ireland Westport Airport Knock.
It won’t be the Gallaghers’ first time playing in Croke Park, however. The experienced songwriter played GAA HQ as a support act to Garth Brooks last summer. In 1982, he played an exhibition match in the famous venue against Kilmacud Crokes with Oisín GAA from Manchester.
The brothers have not performed together since Noel quit the band before a gig in Paris in 2009.
The pair subsequently enjoyed successful solo careers, recording a number of albums and touring extensively.
Tickets for Oasis' comeback tour go on sale this Saturday.