Planning Ed Sheeran's surprise gig was like MI6 secret mission – but it was still worst kept secret, says pub boss
Bar owner Caolan Barron revealed he had no idea who would be plugging in his boozer, the Sky & The Ground pub on Wexford's South Main Street, when he was first contacted by organisers of the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.
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Ed played a surprise set at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford
Credit: Mark Surrdige
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Ed performed a number of trad tunes
Credit: Mark Surrdige
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Ed ended up spending three hours in the Sky & The Ground pub on Wexford's South Main Street
Credit: google maps
Caolan said: 'We were approached in some way a couple of weeks ago to potentially hold an event but we really didn't know what it was and it was all very vague.
'We didn't know what or who. It was very secretive and very hush, hush but we got on quite well with them'.
It was only last week, the publican learned his historic boozer was to play host to a set from superstar Ed Sheeran.
He said: 'I'd say about four days ago I learned it was Ed Sheeran . I then found myself thrown into organising this massive thing. It's been MI6 level of preparations.
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'The WhatsApp group I was in was insane with top level Gardai, event management, the people for the Fleadh and Ed Sheeran's security detail. The last thing we wanted was 20,000 people turning up on our doorstep'.
The secret WhatsApp group continued right up to the moment Ed appeared in their bar.
He said: 'We were getting minute by minute updates like 'currently on the M50, this is our estimated time of arrival'.
'In fairness, everyone put their heads together and made sure we were pretty well prepared when he arrived.
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'Although no one in our family breathed a word, it was the worst kept secret in town. In fairness I think we benefited from multiple rumours of different bands playing'.
The Shape of You star ended up spending three hours in the Wexford pub, recording a podcast in an upstairs room with the 2 Johnnies and doing other chats with radio stations before coming down to perform in the pub.
Ed Sheeran shuts down Wexford Fleadh Ceoil with secret gig
Hitmaker Ed jammed along with local acts Amble, BIIRD, and Beoga during the session but he also made sure fans who couldn't get make inside the pub didn't miss out, making his way outside to perform an acoustic rendition of his hit single Perfect.
Caolan stressed the musician seemed at home in the town.
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He told RTE: 'Ed's father is from Wexford and was born here and Ed spent most of his summers in Wexford, he looks like one of us'.
Speaking to Dave Moore on Today FM yesterday, Ed chatted about his connections to Ireland and his most famous celtic theme tune, Galway Girl: 'I've never actually been to this part of Wexford, I've only ever been to Gorey and I've never been to one before (Fleadh Cheoil Na hÉireann), even as a child.
TRAD MUSIC
'I think if you've got family that's Irish and you're brought up with that as your culture, who is someone else to tell you what you grew up with.
'And this is the argument I have with people sometimes. Galway Girl is seen in trad head circles as the Anti-Christ but I know that it's been a gateway drug for a lot of kids to pick up instruments and learning trad and discovering new and old trad.
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'So I think it's a double edged sword. Sometimes I think you need stuff like that and people are always going to have opinions.'
Ed indulged his love of Ireland with a string of covers during his Wexford set including Raglan Road and The Parting Glass, and his own song Nancy Mulligan penned about his Irish grandmother who passed away in 2023.
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