The Wolfe Tones are somewhat of an anomaly in the modern music industry, in that they’ve reached the apex of their popularity in their 60^th year as a band.

Teens and twenty-somethings in particular have been avid supporters of Warfield, Byrne and Nagle as of late, and the trio made headlines for drawing in gargantuan swathes of punters at the last two iterations of Electric Picnic.

These proved to be more than atypical affairs too, as evident when The Wolfe Tones sold out shows across Ireland and beyond on their latest farewell tour, including three successive nights at their hometown’s 3Arena.

Wolfe Tones at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

They’re present and in good form at the first of these gigs on Friday. Expressing gratitude for a “humbling” opportunity, a banjo bearing Brian Warfield is in a chatty mood and more than glad to play wise-cracking frontman to the 15,000-strong sea of Celtic clobber.

He informs onlookers of his hangover– which shifts into a lecture on the medicinal qualities of whiskey.  “No wonder we’re all alcoholics!” he concludes, as his bandmates offer a wry ‘Oh, he’s off again’ glance before reeling him back in for the next number.

Musically speaking, it’s Irish rebel-themed schlager for the most part, with much of the set consisting of the plodding, polka of tracks like ‘Uncle Nobby’s Steamboat’ and 'Irish Eyes are Smiling'. That said, it’s a farewell show - the band are more than entitled to give diehard fans as many cuts from their 160+ song discography as the 3Arena curfew permits.

Wolfe Tones at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

As mentioned when seeing the band in Stradbally earlier this year, no one goes to a Wolfe Tones concert expecting Stravinsky anyway. Their appeal lies in the collective, nostalgic and patriotic euphoria delivered by their most well-known songs.

Several of these heavy-hitters had fans up on their feet. ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’ was belted around the cavernous arena, defiant as ever, while the romantic and heart-breaking ‘Grace’ –  depicting the tale of Grace Gifford who married Joseph Mary Plunkett hours before he was executed by in 1916 – drew a genuine tear or two from the crowd. 'Celtic Symphony’, often the main source of controversy surrounding the group, was so predictably rousing they played it twice, halfway through the gig and once more to cap off the evening.

Their voices, it must be said, are incredible, especially when their ages come into consideration. Front and centre, Tommy Byrne really lets his pipes shine during the emotional ‘Joe McDonnell’ – a ballad commemorating the hunger strikers of 1981.

The Wolfe Tones function as apt chroniclers, and their breadth of songs cover the good, the bad and the ugly of recent Irish history. It’s overtly patriotic, sure, but at no point did the atmosphere feel extremist or nasty, and, in 2024 at least, the fact their audience continues to grow with youngsters suggests their message resonates as one of unity and heritage rather than hostility.

Wolfe Tones at 3Arena. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.