Liam and Noel Gallagher, the siblings who formed the heart of Oasis, are set to perform together for the first time in over a decade and a half. The two hailing from Manchester, who have deep roots in Ireland, are scheduled to stage a reunion concert in Dublin next summer with tickets to be on sale this coming weekend.
This news stirred a pleasant memory for Dubliner Mimi Murray, who had a unique encounter with the one labelled as the “most intimidating Gallagher”. “His confident strut was undeniable, further emphasised by his mod-style haircut,” she remembered. As Liam, the younger Gallagher, headed downstairs to the restroom in a bistro situated in Covent Garden, her English friend — who had quite a bit of Picpoul De Pinet — expressed the wish to ‘corner’ Liam upon his return.
Murray and her friend, both of whom had come of age during the late nineties, were avid enthusiasts of the Oasis album Definitely Maybe and had viewed several of their gigs. As Liam reappeared, her friend confessed their allegiance to the band and asked for a photograph with him.
In contrast to Murray’s anticipation of a dismissive or impatient response, the encounter turned out to be delightfully pleasant with this genuinely modest Manchester lad. She revealed her Irish roots and informed him that her spouse – a huge fan – was not far off, doing some shopping in Covent Garden. She asked him if it would be possible for him to stick around whilst she tried to bring her husband back quickly – a request he granted.
In the beginning, there was a refusal, yet a nonchalant shrugging of shoulders followed before a declaration of ‘I’ll be smoking outside on the pavement’ was made. Multiple attempts to connect through a Nokia 6210 were unsuccessful, Murray’s spouse was unfortunately not prompt enough to rendezvous with the vocalist. ‘His notorious antics and disorderly conduct as a rock star are well known, but to me that day, he was the most amiable man in the entertainment industry. Come next summer at Croker, I’ll be leading the audience when he thunders out rock’n’roll star,’ she proclaimed.
Etain Finn, a native of Kells, Co Meath, held cherished recollections of attending the band’s live performance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh with her father and younger sibling back in 1996. It was the summer succeeding her primary school days when Finn queued for concert tickets on their launch day at a Kells music store on Farrell Street, the same place where she purchased Definitely Maybe and What’s the Story Morning Glory cassettes. Finn enthusiastically remembered snagging a large Oasis T-shirt for just £5 en route to the show. She was consumed by the excitement and ambience while entering the venue, recalling the good-natured crowd and the palpable vibrations as the Prodigy began their set. As older local teenagers spotted her, she was sure she had solidified her reputation as a cool figure in the community.
When Oasis began their performance, it was nothing short of electric. From the first note to the last, the crowd sang passionately. Based in Co Dublin now, Finn recollects that walking home with her ears buzzing from the concert was still a joyous experience.
A similar reminiscence was shared by Dave O’Mahony, who also attended the same 1996 concert at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, although his tale ended slightly differently. It was his first concert at the young age of 15. O’Mahony could not forget the surfing wave of exhilaration and happiness at the prospect of witnessing his favourite band perform live in his hometown.
Being too young to enter pubs, my mates and I chose to experience the ambience in Bishop Lucey Park, or as it’s known locally, People’s Park, right in the middle of Cork City. We were thrilled to pose for a photograph when a photographer approached us,” recounted O’Mahony.
“With a spirit of youthful tomfoolery, I decided to be pictured with a cigarette, completely aware that my parents would not be pleased.” Following this, they delightedly attended what they described as an “extraordinary gig.” News quickly circulated around O’Mahony’s neighbourhood the next day that he was “featured in the local newspaper, at the Oasis concert no less”.
Eagerly, O’Mahony dashed to the corner store to buy the paper. “I was horrified to see myself there, cigarette in hand, instantly thought, Mum’s going to be livid! However, a genius plan struck me! I blurred the image of the cigarette with some spit and my finger, believing I had cleverly hidden my misdeed,” he expressed.
But alas, his mother wasn’t easily fooled and quickly identified his deceit. “Caught red-handed, I pointed at my mate who was holding a beer can, trying to present it as the greater of the two offences. But, my mother was having none of it! Hats off to the memories, Liam and Noel.”
Additionally, Nadine Forde, a fellow Cork native who was 15 at the time, also witnessed the Oasis performance. She reminisced her choice of attire being a “blue Adidas retro zip top coupled with purple flared trousers”, as she tagged along with her classmates.
“Oasis represented our era and I felt privileged to have seen them on home soil, during such a vibrant period of my youth,” she expressed, jokingly adding, “The tickets certainly won’t be priced at £22.50 anymore!”