The Wolfe Tones packed out performance at Electric Picnic yesterday was the ‘highlight of the weekend’, according to festivalgoers on Lunchtime Live.

The Irish band yesterday performed to the biggest crowd the festival’s Electric Arena has seen since it began 14 years ago.

Crowds began arriving more than half an hour before the band took to the stage – with aerial shots showing masses of people outside the tent trying to get in.

It comes after the Irish Women’s Team apologised for singing the ‘Ooh ah, Up the Ra’ segment of the band's famous hit Celtic Symphony last year.

Kicking into the song yesterday, Singer Brian Warfield exclaimed: “[Never] tell an Irish person they can’t sing a song because you know what they’ll do, they’ll go out and they’ll sing it over and over again, just to spite you.”

"It was electric; it was amazing"

On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, Sean said the show was “electric”.

“It was packed,” he said. “It was like a sauna in there. The heat yesterday - it must have been 25C or 27C - and it was like a sauna inside the tent.

“It should have been on the main stage. It was electric; it was amazing. A great atmosphere in there yesterday.”

Crowds at the Electric Arena for the Wolfe Tones at Electric Picnic.

He said tents are rarely packed longer than 15 minutes before an act takes to the stage.

“We eventually edged in but it was very hard to get in and that was about 15 minutes before they got on stage,” he said.

“It was packed from about half an hour beforehand and the crowd went way back outside. I wasn’t surprised to see the aerial images or to hear it was the biggest crowd at the Electric Arena.

“It was such an atmosphere; it was brilliant.”

The Ireland women's team apologise for singing a song referencing the IRA following their world cup qualification win against Scotland last night. pic.twitter.com/83flVC8ywp

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 12, 2022

Sean said the infamous Sky Sports interview that saw presenter Rob Wooten asking Ireland star Chloe Mustaki if Ireland players needed ‘education on issues like this’ had united many Irish people behind the song.

“I think he was really disrespectful and he really put her on the spot and he kept asking her to apologise over and over,” he said.

“She did apologise, saying maybe the team should have shown a better example but I think it was disrespectful the way Sky Sports interviewed the team and I think people don’t want to be told to forget their history.

“I think it is part of who we are; it is part of our culture.”

Highlight

Also on the show, Cork singer-songwriter Dylan Brickley said the Wolfe Tones were one of the highlights of the whole weekend.

“I just think the Irish songs bring everyone together and no matter where you are in the world, it is always the Irish songs that get people going,” he said.

“Even when playing a pub gig or whatever, the Irish songs always go down well.

“It was crazy to see. I met families and they were after bringing their kids. Some of them were very young and they were out just enjoying it all.”

There are now increasing calls for the Wolfe Tones to take to the main stage at next year’s concert.