Lightbody defends football support

Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody has defended his support of the Republic of Ireland football team

Fans watch Snow Patrol perform as the band kick off their festival tour with a gig for Republic of Ireland football fans in Poland

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd

Snow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd Janaury 23 2012

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Lyndsay Sheerin

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Emma Foster

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Lindsay Munday

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Emma Finegann

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Brian Fox

23.01.12. PICTURE BY DAVID FITZGERALDSnow Patrol performing in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to a sell out crowd. Andrew Allen

Picture Credit Mark Pearce/Presseye ©Mark Pearce/Presseye- 5th June 2010 Press Eye Ltd- Northern Ireland 5th June 2010 _____ Mandatory Credit - Photo Mark Pearce/PresseyeSnow Patrols return to Northern Ireland is opon us .. Ward Park , Bangor was host to over 40,000 excited fans .Christopher Holland, Emma McBride, Louise Coyle and Gemma KellyPicture Credit Mark Pearce/Presseye

Snow Patrol, Ward Park, Bangor. Scott and Ollie T

Snow Patrol, Ward Park, Bangor. Michael and Angela McCann with Ann and Paddy McKenna

Snow Patrol, Ward Park, Bangor. Hayley Harrison and Andy McCloskey

Snow Patrol, Ward Park, Bangor. Danielle Hibbert and Charlotte Richardson

Fans at the Snow Patrol gig in Bangor. June 2010

Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody performs to more than 40,000 people in Bangor's Ward Park

Snow Patrol concert in Bangor. June 2010

Alan Lewis - Photopress Belfast 6/6/2010Snow Patrol (lead singer Gary Lightbody) live on stage at Ward Park in Bangor, County Down at the weekend. Over 40,000 fans attended the open-air event which included General Fiasco (who opened the main stage at the weekend, they are one of the many exciting new bands coming out of the Belfast music scene at the moment), Band of Horses (second on the Ward Park main stage. With 3 albums already under their belt, this five piece lead by the lulling vocals of frontman Ben Bridwell, have slowly been building a strong and dedicated fanbase since their inception in 2004) and Lisa Hannigan (Irish singer songwriter Lisa Hannigan (third on the main stage at Ward Park, Lisa released her debut album in 2009, ‘Sea Saw’ bought Lisa critical acclaim from all sections of Irish and British media and led to nomi nations at last years Mercury Music Prize in the UK, Meteor Music Award in Ireland and picking up several awards in the Hot Press Readers Poll 2009.).

Snow Patrol guitarist Nathan Connolly performs to more than 40,000 people in Bangor's Ward Park

Snow Patrol fans enjoy the band's gig at Ward Park in Bangor

14 June 2012

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has defended cheering on the Republic of Ireland during Euro2012.

The Northern Ireland-born singer, a fully fledged supporter of his home country, has been attacked online for supporting both sides.

"I'm a Northern Ireland supporter for sure," he told the Press Association.

"But the Republic of Ireland are in this tournament and I'm getting behind them. It's a tricky subject but they would always be my second team. I've not really seen too many reasons for me not to support them but I know other people have their reasons."

Lightbody faced a raft of online abuse after declaring on Twitter support for the Republic, his second team, as he says.

"All my tweets are just about spreading love," he said. "I'm green and white army, no doubt, but I'll also support the Republic when they play."

He said he hoped the Republic would win Euro2012 and also used Twitter to say he "had enough politics growing up in Northern Ireland in the eighties. I like to try and spread joy now. Life is short."

Lightbody and bandmates guitarist Nathan Connolly, bassist Paul Wilson, drummer Jonny Quinn and keyboardist Tom Simpson met the Ireland team in Sopot before playing a concert to about 2,000 fans, half of them were green jerseys.

The singer followed that up by calling on Ireland fans to see the band play at a charity gig at the Centrum Stocznia Gdanska, an old warehouse in the shipyard where German u-boats were built in the Second World War 2.

Snow Patrol had wanted to play on the day of the Ireland-Spain match but had to reschedule due to commitments at a festival in Finland.