Oasis Reunion Sparks Limerick Buzz

 

Oasis Reunion Sparks Limerick Buzz 

By Kieran Beville

 

 

For years, the idea of Liam and Noel Gallagher reuniting seemed as likely as a swan flying under Thomond Bridge backwards: two brothers better known for their blazing rows than brotherly love. Yet rock is built on unlikely comebacks. Oasis have reunited for a UK and Ireland tour, including two massive nights at Dublin’s Croke Park on the 16th and 17th of August.

In Limerick, word of the comeback spread faster than a Shannon tide, stirring memories, debates, and plenty of craic among everyone from die-hard fans to sceptical students. Ticket prices started at €86.50 (before dynamic pricing) but judging by the local buzz, few seem put off.

Whether you love or loathe them, the Gallagher brothers are about to remind Limerick – and the rest of Ireland – why Oasis was once the loudest, cockiest, and most talked-about band on the island.

Brothers in Brawls

The Gallagher brothers’ story is nearly as famous as their music: working-class lads from Manchester who rose from pub gigs to world tours. Their sound – swaggering rock driven by catchy choruses – made them household names. Yet their endless quarrels, which saw them trade insults on- and off-stage, kept them in the headlines as much as their music.

Liam once branded Noel’s solo act, High Flying Birds, as “High Flying Turds.” In return, Noel took regular shots at Liam’s attitude. But this past year, hints of a thaw began. Noel complimented Liam’s voice, describing it as “like ten shots of tequila,” while Liam dedicated songs to his older brother.

For Limerick Oasis fans, even small olive branches felt like seismic shifts. “It’s mad,” says Sarah, a Limerick musician who grew up on their music. “But honestly, this is what bands do. They fight, they break up, they get back together. That’s rock ’n’ roll.”

From Manchester charts to Limerick ouse parties

When Oasis released Definitely Maybe in 1994 and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? in 1995, Limerick students and music lovers were among the first in Ireland to blast those albums in rented flats and packed pubs. Tracks like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger, and Live Forever became instant classics, part of house party soundtracks in Castletroy and late-night sessions around the city.

“I remember the first time I heard ‘Champagne Supernova’,” recalls Michael, now 42. “We didn’t even know all the words yet, but the whole room belted out the chorus. It felt like something bigger than us.”

Oasis’s music became part of Limerick’s wider story of the 90s: a city shifting from recession to revival, where new cafes and venues opened alongside an explosion in youth culture. For many locals, Oasis provided a soundtrack of swagger and hope.

The legend and the division

Not everyone, of course, was a fan. Even during their peak, Oasis divided opinion. Some dismissed them as a Beatles knock-off. Others couldn’t stand Liam’s sneer or the brothers’ tabloid-friendly antics. Today, on Limerick’s social media groups, younger posters roll their eyes at ticket prices and nostalgia. “Why pay ninety quid to see two fellas in their fifties argue on stage?” joked one student on Reddit.

Yet Oasis’s defenders fire back, pointing to the energy of live bands – something sorely missed in an age of auto-tune and backing tracks. “They’re not perfect,” says one fan “That’s the point. You go to see a show, not a robot.”

Oasis and the Limerick music scene

For Limerick, a city with a proud live music history – from pub gigs in The Commercial to shows at Dolan’s – Oasis’s return stirs more than nostalgia. It’s a reminder of what bands once brought to the scene: loud guitars, shared choruses, and nights where the crowd sang every word louder than the singer.

The changing charts

In the 2000s, roughly 30% of top singles came from bands. Today, the top of the charts is dominated by solo artists, dance producers, and pop collaborations. In the US, you might scroll the Top 50 without finding a single band.

For older fans, Oasis’s comeback isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s a protest against slick, algorithm-driven hits, and a reminder of a time when bands – real bands – topped the charts.

Even the possibility that guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs might re-join is big news locally. Many Limerick fans remember him from the classic line-up and believe he brought authenticity to their live shows.

A reunion for the generations

Ironically, Oasis may draw not just the original fans, but a new generation raised on Spotify playlists and stories from older siblings and parents. In Limerick, parents who once queued overnight for tickets are now taking their teenagers to Croke Park. “My daughter knows the words better than I do,” one fan laughs. “She grew up on my CDs. It’s weird, but kind of beautiful.”

The thrill of the unpredictable

Part of Oasis’s enduring fascination has always been the sense that anything could happen: blistering live shows, spontaneous covers, and, yes, the odd on-stage argument. Even now, fans joke about whether Liam and Noel will make it to the second gig without a fresh fallout.

More than nostalgia – a city’s soundtrack

For Limerick, Oasis’s return is about more than two big gigs in Dublin. It’s about the songs that turned living rooms into dance floors, late-night singalongs by the Shannon, and arguments in pubs over which album was best. “They were the last band everyone had an opinion on,” says a music aficionado. “Even people who hated them still talked about them.”

Today, as tribute acts prepare new sets and record shops restock classic albums, the sense of excitement stretches beyond die-hard fans. Younger listeners are discovering tracks their parents once lived by, and older fans are dusting off those CDs.

Looking ahead, looking back

Some critics will always call Oasis overrated, and some fans will always say they saved rock ’n’ roll. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between: they were flawed, sometimes brash, but always unforgettable.

And as the city debates whether Liam’s voice still holds up or Noel can keep his cool, one thing is certain: Limerick will once again hear those anthems echo across pubs, cars, and late-night streets.

Oasis (the full band with both Liam and Noel Gallagher) never performed in Limerick. However, Liam Gallagher, the band’s frontman, did bring the spirit of Oasis to Thomond Park on July 14, 2024, performing the Definitely Maybe album in full as part of his solo “Definitely Maybe 30 Years” tour. Limerick fans remember with great affection that time when the hallowed turf of our iconic stadium rocked.

Don’t look back in anger

For now, the countdown begins: two summer nights that promise loud guitars, choruses everyone knows, and, just maybe, a few unpredictable moments that will make the headlines the next morning. Whether you roll your eyes or raise your pint, they are back and Limerick will fill busses and trains to pay homage to them in the mecca of Croke Park.Top of FormBottom of Form