While The Beatles may hail from Merseyside, a new podcast exploring potential Irish routes points at them being adopted sons of the Emerald Isle.
Penny Lane, The Cavern Club, Strawberry Fields, what do they have in common? They are all Liverpool locations that will always be linked to The Beatles.
However, a new BBC podcast is exploring forgotten Irish connections to the Fab Four. ‘Give The Beatles Back to the Irish’ began with episode one on Sunday.
In the podcast, which will air every Sunday, Beatles fans Steven Cockcroft and Jason Carty explore the band’s deep family roots in Ireland, their debut live appearance in Dublin in 1963, and much more to come.
New podcast explores forgotten Irish connections to The Beatles – deep roots to the Emerald Isle
A play on Paul McCartney’s famous song with Wings, ‘Give Ireland Back to the Irish’, ‘Give the Beatles Back to the Irish’ explores the deep-rooted Irish family connections the band members have.
For example, the podcast explores the theory that Oliver Cromwell is responsible for the band, thanks to these roots.
John Lennon’s great-grandfather was born in County Down, while his great-grandmother was from Omagh in County Tyrone.
Paul McCartney’s family has roots in County Monaghan, while George Harrison’s family was originally landowners in County Wexford until they were stripped of their land by Oliver Cromwell.
Ringo Starr, the most English band of the four, has family ties that trace to County Mayo. In 193, when they landed in Dublin, Lennon exclaimed in an interview, “We’re all Irish!”.
Their biggest performance of all time was in Ireland – The King’s Hall in Belfast
The band’s 1964 gig at the King’s Hall in Belfast was the largest audience they ever played to across Ireland and the UK.
It was an arena gig before the term came to be, where they played to a total audience of 16,000 people. The ticket price was a whopping £1 each.
The band played three famous gigs in Ireland. One in Dublin and two in Belfast. Did you know that they almost played in Drogheda and Portstewart? You’ll find out all the mysterious details in the podcast.
The Fab Four also always had connections to some of the most interesting Irish names in showbiz throughout the years. From ‘old man Steptoe’ Wilfred Brambell to Gay Byrne and Guinness heir Tara Browne.
More links to Ireland and the Irish – interesting facts you might not know
While some of the band members got involved in Irish politics and The Troubles in the 1970s through music, John Lennon and Yoko Ono took it one step further when they bought Dorinish island, an uninhabited island in Clew Bay, County Mayo.
Lennon and Yoko intended to retire on the island with their family, and he sent an old psychedelically-painted gypsy caravan to the island by helicopter in 1967.
Sadly, this dream of a peaceful retirement on an Irish island never came to be. John Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980.
The podcast explores many other fascinating links between The Beatles and the Emerald Isle. You can listen to episode one here.
