The Wolfe Tones star Brian Warfield has said he wishes Joe Duffy 鈥渘o ill will鈥 as the RTE star counts down the days until he retires from the station.
Mr Duffy will bid farewell to RTE this Friday as he steps down as host of Liveline after almost three decades. Duffy started working at RTE 37 years ago.
Mr Warfield 鈥 who is suing Mr Duffy for defamation after a heated on-air spat on Liveline in 2023 鈥 said that while he won鈥檛 be sending the Ballyfermot native cards and a bottle of champagne, he feels no 鈥渁nimosity鈥 towards the legendary presenter.
Speaking exclusively to us, The Wolfe Tones singer said: 鈥淚 wish him no ill will.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 hold animosity, but he was totally wrong. He is supposed to be a mediator on his show, and he lost it. He didn鈥檛 do his job properly.
鈥淲ould I wish him well? I wouldn鈥檛 hold any animosity against him, but he wouldn鈥檛 be like a friend that you would be wishing well鈥 like I wouldn鈥檛 be sending cards or a bottle of champagne. It wouldn鈥檛 be like that at all, but I don鈥檛 hold him any grudge.鈥
Asked if he had any advice for Mr Duffy on plans for after he retired from RTE, Mr Warfield said: 鈥淢y advice is, don鈥檛. Keep on going for as long as you can. It鈥檚 better to die on the stage than die in a nursing home. As long as you can keep going, then keep going.
鈥淭here is no gratification in retirement, what are you going to with yourself. If you鈥檙e a creative person, which I am, then there鈥檚 loads to do.鈥
The pair are embroiled in a High Court legal battle over an on air spat on Liveline on RTE Radio One on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
The Liveline row kicked off after a female caller from Limerick rang in to complain after hearing a local Wolfe Tones concert was sold out.
It came after the band faced criticism over an appearance at the F茅ile an Phobail festival in west Belfast that saw the 10,000-strong crowd chanting 鈥淥oh, ah, up the Ra鈥, a line from Celtic Symphony.
Some unionists claimed the show was a celebration of IRA violence. And balladeer Brian went on air to defend the group after being contacted by Liveline producers to take part in the show.
However, the debate with Joe descended into a slagging match, with the host making it clear he was no fan of Brian鈥檚 group.
During their exchanges, Mr Duffy described Celtic Symphony as 鈥渁 brutal song鈥. Mr Warfield claimed Celtic Symphony was 鈥渙nly a baby’s lullaby鈥 compared to some other songs.
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