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Tag Archives: Celtic Park


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Birth of Brian Warfield, Founding Member of The Wolfe Tones

Brian Warfield

Patrick Brian Warfield, vocalist, banjo, harp and bodhrán player and lead songwriter with long-standing Irish band The Wolfe Tones, is born on April 2, 1946, in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. He introduces many of the songs at the Wolfe Tones live concerts and is a keen historian.

Warfield is raised in the Dublin suburb Inchicore, the second born in a family of four boys. Today, he and his wife June Warfield (née Radburn) reside in Blessington, County Wicklow.

Warfield is one of the founding members and lead singers of the Irish Folk band, The Wolfe Tones. He has written many songs for the band, notably “Up and Away (The Helicopter Song),” “Irish Eyes” and “My Heart is in Ireland.” “Let the People Sing” is written in dedication to those Irish ballad singers who were banned from singing Irish songs. It has been performed by many Celtic and Irish Rebel bands, including Celtic band Charlie and the Bhoys. The song is popular among fans of Celtic F.C. and a version is performed by The Malleys, omitting the second verse, at Celtic Park on match days.

Warfield’s affiliation with Celtic F.C. leads to him being asked to write a song for the club to celebrate its 100th anniversary. As a result, “Celtic Symphony” is composed. It is a song popular with many Celtic fans, but controversial due to its chorus, which features the words “ooh, ah, up the RA.” This is often seen as being a pro-Irish Republican Army (IRA) stance, but according to Warfield, the words were included in the balladic tradition of writing what is observed at the time.

As a songwriter, Warfield’s writing is typically a social commentary on Ireland and its issues. For the 2012 album, Child of Destiny, Warfield composes “Swing A Banker,” which is a comical ballad referring to Irish bankers as chickens. The music video is recorded outside the Treasury Building in Dublin.

The Wolfe Tones continue to tour but have announced that they are set to retire in 2024, after 60 years of performing together. In addition to gigs in the United States, there will be concerts at Galway Airport, Castlebar, County Mayo, and in the 3Arena in Dublin, with the band’s final gig taking place in Belfast in October 2024.

As of January 2024, Warfield has not communicated with his brother Derek Warfield since he left The Wolfe Tones in 2001.


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Birth of Liam Miller, Irish Professional Footballer

Liam William Peter Miller, Irish professional footballer, is born on February 13, 1981, in Cork, County Cork.

Miller grows up in Ovens, County Cork, and attends Coachford College in Coachford, County Cork. As a boy, he also plays Gaelic games for his hometown club, Éire Óg, and represents Cork GAA at youth level. His family is his largest influence in football, and Martin O’Neill and Sir Alex Ferguson are also influential to his career.

Miller begins his career with Celtic and is later loaned to the Danish sports club Aarhus Gymnastikforening in 2001. He returns to Celtic Park and breaks into the first-team squad during the 2003–04 season. Rejecting the offer of a new contract from Celtic, he joins Manchester United in 2004 on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling. Loaned to Leeds United during the 2005–06 season, he makes 22 first-team appearances for Manchester United.

Miller represents the Republic of Ireland team internationally, making his debut in 2004 against the Czech Republic. He earns 21 caps over the next five years, scoring one international goal.

From 2006 until 2009, Miller plays for Sunderland, followed by a short stay at Queens Park Rangers from January until May 2009, when he is released. He joins Hibernian in September 2009 on a free transfer. He moves to Australia‘s A-League in 2011 after his contract with Hibernian expires, and represents Perth Glory, Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City there.

On January 15, 2015, he joins League of Ireland Cork City club, choosing his hometown club over several offers in Asia. He makes his debut on March 7 as the season begins with a 1–1 draw at Sligo Rovers. He is a regular in his only season at Turners Cross, in which the team finishes as runners-up in the league and the FAI Cup to Dundalk. On January 19, 2016, he chooses to leave the team.

Miller signs with American third-tier United Soccer League side Wilmington Hammerheads on February 18, 2016. He makes 27 total appearances for the North Carolina-based club, scoring a last-minute equaliser in a 2–2 draw at Orlando City B on July 24.

In 2017, Miller holds an assistant coaching role at Real Monarchs, a USL affiliate of Real Salt Lake. He leaves in November for health reasons.

In November 2017, it is made public that Miller is receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer. He has chemotherapy at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City before returning to Ireland. He dies in Cork on February 9, 2018, only four days shy of his 37th birthday.

A benefit football match is played on September 25, 2018, with the intention of raising funds for Miller’s family and charities. The Gaelic Athletic Association permits the game to be played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, which would not normally be allowed under GAA rules. The match, between a Manchester United XI and a team composed of former Celtic and Republic of Ireland players, ends with the United XI winning on penalties following a 2–2 draw.