Whether it’s the state budget or the governor’s plan for legalizing keno, legislators often disagree on a regular basis at the state Capitol.
But Republicans and Democrats come together every year when it involves a concert by the Wolfe Tones. The three-member Irish band travels to the United States annually around St. Patrick’s Day, and they always stop in the Hartford area for a concert.
That’s where longtime lobbyist Carroll Hughes and the legislature’s Irish American Caucus come in. They are sponsoring a concert again this year at the Irish American Home in Glastonbury on Tuesday night.
As one of the most popular Irish bands in the world, the Wolfe Tones provide a rallying cry for the movers and shakers at the Capitol, who gather to hear the troupe sing songs about the Emerald Isle. Partisan differences are dropped when pints are raised as the Wolfe Tones belt out their rebel songs.
While the Irish mega-band U2 certainly has more fans, the Wolfe Tones have a very loyal following that often travels to great lengths to see them. One of the top fans is Hughes, who has seen the band play more than 35 times through the years.
Over the past 45 years, the Wolfe Tones have released at least 14 albums that have sold more than 3 million copies, and they have played around the world – ranging from pubs in Dublin to venues in London, Paris, and Switzerland. They have also played at Carnegie Hall in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day and at the Foxwoods Resort Casino and Toad’s Place in Connecticut.
During the concerts, fans – both young and old – sing along to a mixture of rebel songs and memorable Irish ballads that include “Streets of New York,” “God Save Ireland,” “Let the People Sing,” “Boston Rose,” “On The One Road,” “The Boys of the Old Brigade,” “A Nation Once Again,” and “Joe McDonnell.”
As the devoted fans know, the band’s lullabies and battle cries and songs of hope and joy have been entertaining the crowds for decades.
The folk band teaches a lesson with lyrics of important issues in Irish history dating back to the Irish famine in 1847. That history includes the deaths of Bobby Sands, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, and others in prison in the H Blocks during a hunger strike.
In March, the band is booked for 16 of the 17 days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day – in New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rockville Centre, Long Island. After St. Patrick’s Day, they head back to Ireland to play in places like Derry and Belfast. The schedule is at the official site at www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com.