A Wolfe Tones member has slammed "cranks" who he claims "forced" the Ireland women's soccer team to apologise for singing Celtic Symphony.
Brian Warfield made the claims on Newstalk's Lunchtime Live on Wednesday, reports Irish Mirror.
It came after a number of players sung the song, which contains the lyrics 'Ooh ah, up the Ra', in the dressing room after they beat Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park in Edinburgh on Tuesday night.
Read more: Ireland women's team apologise after singing pro-IRA song after World Cup result
The win sent them to their first ever World Cup finals. An Instagram Live taken by squad member Grace Moloney went viral in the aftermath.
On Wednesday morning, the FAI released a statement apologising for the actions.
Boss Vera Pauw said: “We apologise from the bottom of our hearts to anyone who has been offended by the content of the post-match celebrations after we had just qualified for the World Cup.
"We will review this with the players and remind them of their responsibilities in this regard. I have spoken with players this morning and we are sorry collectively for any hurt caused, there can be no excuse for that."
But Wolfe Tones singer Brian Warfield told Newstalk's Lunchtime Live that the team were free to celebrate however they wanted.
He said: "We live in a country called Ireland. We are Irish people and we have suffered terribly over the years. I am suffering this since the 60s. I started way back in 1963 and ever since then, Irish music and Irish song and Irish ballads – Irish historical songs you might say – have been blackened all over the place and it goes back years.
He added that he believed it to be a "stupid kind of argument" to suggest people should be prevented from singing about the IRA.
"It is a great song, that’s why they sing it," he said.
"They have the right to sing a song of their choice and no crank should be on there telling them what to sing and how to sing it.
"This is a free Ireland. It is not an Ireland where we stop people from singing a song – ‘You can’t sing that because it mentions the IRA; that is a stupid kind of an argument.
"They were forced (to apologise) by people complaining. It is all these cranks around the place that complain about everything Irish."
You can listen back to the full interview here.
READ NEXT:
Unionists slam Sinn Fein former Belfast lord mayor's portrait over Bobby Sands image
Celtic FC hold minute's silence in memory of Creeslough victims
Antrim All-Ireland winners honoured with civic reception at Stormont
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
