# Ireland Disowns Ed Sheeran Over Macklemore Stance

> Ireland's musicians and leaders cut ties with Ed Sheeran after he backed Macklemore's removal from tour
- Title: Ireland Disowns Ed Sheeran Over Macklemore Stance · Newsweek
- Summary: Ireland's musicians and leaders cut ties with Ed Sheeran after he backed Macklemore's removal from tour Ireland's cultural figures and broadcasters publicly…
- Keywords: ed sheeran, macklemore, ireland, seattle, nfl, palestine, free palestine, gutless coward, ireland tour, pro palestine, ed sheeran tour, ireland politics
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/ireland-disowns-ed-sheeran-over-macklemore-12454999
- Published: 2026-09-17T15:11:49+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ed sheeran, macklemore, ireland, seattle, nfl, palestine, free palestine, gutless coward, ireland tour, pro palestine, ed sheeran tour, ireland politics
## Ed Sheeran's Irish Identity
Ed Sheeran identifies culturally as Irish despite being born in England, with Irish heritage through his father and grandparents.

> I class my culture as Irish. I think that's what I grew up with.
## Macklemore's Tour Speech
Macklemore gave a two-minute speech at Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour urging 'Free Palestine' and showing Gaza images during his performance.

> Free Palestine
## Tour Backlash
Pro-Israel groups petitioned for Macklemore's removal, leading to his exit from remaining U.S. tour dates after Robert Kraft objected.

> Robert Kraft objected to his participation
## Ireland's Pro-Palestine Stance
Ireland recognized Palestine in 2024 and supports Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution with Israel.

> Ireland was the first EU member to declare peace in the Middle East required a fully sovereign Palestinian state
## Ireland's Reaction
Irish musicians and broadcasters publicly criticized Ed Sheeran for prioritizing commercial success over Palestinian solidarity.

> We know who Ed Sheeran is now
## Ed Sheeran's Response
Sheeran stated Macklemore's removal was due to promoter concerns, not his personal decision, to avoid conflict with venue owners.

> Macklemore's removal was not his decision but driven by concerns raised by promoters
## Cultural Backlash
Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga withdrew from Sheeran's tour, citing Palestinian suffering over 'genocide, forced famine and violent occupation'.

> We cannot ignore issues of genocide, forced famine and violent occupation
## Media Response
Classic Hits Radio removed Sheeran's music from playlists following listener feedback about the controversy.

> We have listened carefully to the reaction from our listeners
## Journalist Critique
Irish Mirror journalist Andrew E. Quinn called Sheeran a 'gutless coward' for failing to stand up for what is right.

> Ed Sheeran failed at the first hurdle and proved he is the epitome of the plastic Paddy
## RTÉ's Stance
Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ said it would not drop Sheeran's music, stating its threshold for banning artists is very high.

> Our threshold for banning artists is very high
## Key takeaway

Ireland's cultural figures and broadcasters publicly distance Ed Sheeran following his handling of Macklemore's pro-Palestinian tour controversy