Peace came dropping ultra-slowly, but fractured brotherly bonds are at last soldered. The Gallagher boys are back in harmony. Joy is palpable in Charlestown, their mum’s hometown in Co Mayo.
Oasis will reunite next summer with concert dates announced for Dublin. Liam and Noel Gallagher will perform at Croke Park on August 16th and 17th, 2025.
The Mancunian brothers will also play Cardiff, Manchester, London and Edinburgh. Tickets for the Dublin dates go on sale this Saturday, August 31st, at 8am.
It will be the first time Liam Gallagher and his brother Noel have performed together in more than 15 years.
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“Look it here, it’s exciting times,” enthused John Casey as he raised the shutters on his family’s hardware shop on Main Street. “My phone’s red hot this morning.”
Oasis reunion: Why are they getting back together, and what tore them apart?
In 2009 warring brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher fell out for the last time – their final argument broke up their band, Oasis.At the time Oasis albums topped the charts, they sold out the biggest venues and audiences were word-perfect in their vast catalogue of catchy anthems from Wonderwall to Don’t Look Back in Anger.In the intervening years both brothers have had solo careers and both took every opportunity to slag each other off, saying they’d never play together again.But as music journalist Eamonn Sweeney tells In the News, the past year has seen a thawing of hostilities, with hints from Liam that Oasis just might get back together. There’s a lot of money at stake.Then at the weekend, Liam tweeted a date for a big announcement – Tuesday, August 27th at the not very rock’n’roll time of 8am. Could Irish concerts be on the cards? Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon, Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.
Mr Casey has been friends with the Gallagher lads since bucolic summer days in the 1980s when their mother Peggy (Sweeney) brought her family on regular visits to her home village of Sonnagh, just west of Charlestown.
“Noel went on record on The Late Late Show saying his mother dragged him home to play with nettles and look at haystacks and stuff and green fields that they wouldn’t have been used to, I suppose, in Manchester,” he recalled.
According to Mr Casey, the bond between the Gallaghers and Charlestown over the decades has been exceptional.
“They have got a special place in the heart of Charlestown folk, such is their connection to the place.”
From talking to locals, it’s clear that the Oasis link has sprinkled stardust on the small east Mayo backwater.
“I literally watched busloads [of fans] gather when word got around that Noel or Liam was in town, enjoying a few beers,” said Mr Casey. “They created such euphoria, were such great craic, really.”
Down the street from Casey’s Expert Hardware, Siobhán Brennan was busily arranging a clothing rail in her boutique, Fashion Scene. She could barely conceal her delight that rumours of the long-awaited reunion had been confirmed.
“It’s fantastic news,” she said. “I am so excited. My daughters Sinead, Stephanie and Shauna are such big fans of Oasis. They’ll be home, I’m certain, for one of the dates which have been announced in Croke Park for next August as part of the comeback tour.”
Ms Brennan described Oasis in their heyday as “rock star people” in Charlestown when they visited, with everybody rushing around to meet them.
“People were so sad when they broke up. They had everything going for them. They’re such lovely guys.”
The Gallagher brothers visited many pubs in Charlestown over the years, playing pool there and joining enthusiastically in impromptu singsongs. One of their special oases was JJ Finan’s pub and hardware store on The Square, where patrons regularly enjoy a pint as they sit cheek by jowl with picks, shovels and other farmyard implements.
Liam and Noel’s maternal grandparents, the Sweeneys, had a special relationship with Finan’s, treating it as their local. Owner John Finan welcomed the reunification of the Oasis brothers.
“I am looking forward of them visiting again. We had some good nights here before and we hope to do so again. Maybe when they do get together they’ll play here again,” he said.
While John Casey is delighted that Oasis reborn and rebooted will be playing Croke Park and other big venues, he has one big personal dream.
“I’d love to get them in McHale Park [in Castlebar] or our local GAA pitch in Charlestown,” he said.
“That would be fantastic. I know there would be a lot of logistical issues but that would be super – the ultimate, ultimate dream, really.”
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