Beoga Declares 'Free Palestine' on Live TV After Calling the Ed Sheeran Tour Exit a 'No-Brainer'

Irish folk band Beoga used a live appearance on RTÉ's 'The Late Late Show' to restate its support for Palestine and explain why it walked away from Ed Sheeran's North American tour, after rapper Macklemore was removed from the bill following his comments backing Palestinians.

Beoga discussed its withdrawal during the Friday, 23 October broadcast in Ireland. The group had left the remaining North American dates in September, after Macklemore's exit from Sheeran's Loop Tour.

The band said it would not perform at venues where artists advocating for a free Palestine were silenced. Sheeran has said Macklemore's removal was the promoter's decision, not his. Responsibility for that decision remains disputed in the accounts given by the musicians.

Beoga had spoken about its decision before the television appearance. In an earlier interview with RTÉ Radio 1, Beoga singer and fiddle player Niamh Dunne described leaving the tour as a 'no-brainer.' That phrase should be attributed to the radio interview unless 'The Late Late Show' broadcast confirms she used it there too.

Beoga Restates Its Position on Palestine

Beoga's tour exit followed Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's Loop Tour. The rapper had voiced support for Palestinians during a performance in New Jersey.

After his removal, Beoga announced that it would leave the remaining North American dates, describing its decision as a response to what the band called the silencing of Macklemore.

The group's statement said it had been friends with Sheeran for more than a decade and believed dialogue could help advance the plight of Palestinians. It also said performing in venues that silenced artists advocating for a free Palestine was not an option.

Those were Beoga's stated reasons for leaving, not an independently established account of who was responsible for Macklemore's removal or why.

Beoga was Sheeran's touring band, rather than one of his opening acts. Its members had performed alongside him during the tour, and the group acknowledged that playing to stadium audiences was a significant opportunity.

The band said it had not taken that opportunity for granted, even as it chose to withdraw.

The dispute involved more than one account of the decision. Sheeran said the promoter had decided to remove Macklemore.

Beoga's statement described the rapper as having been silenced and said it could not continue performing in venues under those circumstances. The two positions should not be treated as proof of who made the decision.

Why Beoga Left Sheeran's Tour

Macklemore was removed from the remaining tour dates on 14 September, and Beoga announced its withdrawal the following day.

Other performers also left in solidarity with the rapper, including Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish group Lukas Graham and Finneas. Beoga's role was distinct: it had been playing as Sheeran's touring band.

The withdrawal did not, according to Beoga, end its relationship with Sheeran. Dunne and bandmate Eamon Murray later said they had not fallen out with him and still considered him a friend.

They also argued that he should have cancelled the shows after Macklemore was dropped. Their criticism concerned Sheeran's response and the principle of allowing artists to speak about Palestine, while their comments acknowledged the personal relationship remained.

Dunne had also told RTÉ Radio 1 that leaving the tour was a 'no-brainer' for the band. The phrase captures the clarity of the decision as she described it, but it does not mean there were no professional consequences.

Beoga had been playing before large audiences and had worked with Sheeran for years. The band's own statement recognised the scale of the opportunity it was giving up.

On The Late Late Show, Beoga returned to the reasons for its departure and its support for Palestine.

The appearance put the band's position on a live television programme, while the broader dispute remained unresolved: Sheeran attributed Macklemore's removal to the promoter, and Beoga said it could not continue the tour under those conditions.