RICKY WARWICK TO PLAY LIVE AT NORTHERN IRELAND V HUNGARY INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL MATCH, BELFAST NOVEMBER 19TH 2008
Newtownards, Co. Down, Northern Ireland born and life long Northern Ireland football supporter Ricky Warwick will play his new single "arms Of Belfast Town" live during half time at the International friendly match between Northern Ireland and Hungary at Windsor Park Belfast on November 19th 2008.
The song has been given the full backing of the Irish Football Association and the fan site Our Wee Country.
Says Ricky "This is a huge honour for me and a dream come true. I have watched Northern Ireland play many games at Windsor Park over the years, but to be able to stand on the Windsor park pitch and play my new single will be amazing."
From Ricky about Arms of Belfast Town, "I wanted to write a song about growing up and coming from Northern Ireland. I wanted to write about the old stories my father told me, the old characters and neighbours who would drop in for a yarn, friends, family, and places that meant and still mean so much to me. My boyhood heroes - George Best, Gerry Armstrong, and seeing Stiff Little Fingers for the first time and obviously Buckfast Tonic Wine."
Of course I am aware what Belfast Confetti meant back in darker times. There have been many great songs that have unfortunately been inspired and written about the troubles over the years and they have affected almost everyone in one way or another. It would be impossible to write about being Northern Irish and not mention them, but with the song "Arms Of Belfast Town" and in fact the whole album Belfast Confetti. I wanted to concentrate on all that's good, the humor, warmth, passion and belief of the people. The beauty of the country. I am blessed to have been to many amazing places all over the world. But for me personally nothing beats the view from Scrabo Tower looking out over Strangford Lough.
So what Belfast Confetti now means to me is a collection of stories, my own, my family's and my friends most of whom are scattered all over the world, but when talk turns to home, their eye's light up and the reminiscing begins. With all of the positive changes that have happened in the last 15 years, we now have people returning home in droves, instead of people leaving and moving away.
The single "Arms of Belfast Town" is due out in March followed a few weeks later by the new album "Belfast Confetti" on DR2 Records.