Background
Warfield was born the eldest of four in Inchicore, Dublin in 1943 and he was educated at Synge Street Columbia Broadcasting System.
Warfield was born the eldest of four in Inchicore, Dublin in 1943 and he was educated at Synge Street Columbia Broadcasting System.
He was apprenticed as a tailor until becoming a folk musician.
He has written and recorded over 60 songs and ballads. The Foggy Dew was the first of 16 albums recorded by the Wolfe Tones (1964) while the popular Sing Out Foreign Ireland (1987) was the last studio album that all four members were present on. A solo album, Legacy was released in 1995 and was followed with Liberte’ ‘98, Sons of Erin, Take Maine Home To Mayo and Clear The Way.
Warfield also has a video Legacy and two books, The Songs and Ballads of 1798 and The Irish Songster of the American Civil War.
Warfield has performed his music and songs at American Civil War events and commemorations at such sites as Gettysburg, Sharpsburg and Harrisburg with his band, The Sons of Erin. Warfield’s 2002 release, Clear the Way is the second in his Irish Songs in the Civil War series.
The ballad “Take Maine Home To Mayo”, written by Belfastman Seamus Robinson as a tribute to Michael Gaughan, was recorded as a duet with Irish American Andy Cooney and is the title track of another 2002 Warfield release. In March 2006, Warfield released his 9th solo album, a 36 song double Civil Defense of Irish songs.
Derek now tours with his new band, Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones.
In 2003 after a complaint from an Ulster Unionist politician, Roy Beggs, Junior., a radio channel dedicated to the music of Derek Warfield was removed from the in-flight entertainment of Aer Lingus. Beggs complained of the "Blatant promotion of militant, armed republicanism" by the playing of this music, saying it was the same as "the speeches of Osama bin Laden being played on a transport-Atlantic Arabian airline." Aer Lingus removed the material from their flights stating: "lieutenant is something that should not have been on board and we removed it immediately we became aware of lieutenant".
Derek Warfield is a singer, songwriter, mandolin player and a founding member of the Wolfe Tones, performing with the band for over 37 years.
