Irish Examiner View: Age is just a number

Paul McCartney is 80 today and still rocking it at festivals

Paul McCartney is 80 today.

If Glastonbury’s promoters wanted to provide a concert by octogenarians on the Pyramid Stage next weekend, they could have quite the gig. Tom Jones is just 80, Cliff Richard and Ringo Starr will be 80 later this year and Paul McCartney is 80 today. Happy birthday, Macca.

As it is, it will be McCartney who climbs up on the world’s most famous festival stage to become the oldest act ever to headline there. The first headliner was Ray Davies, and his brother Dave, from The Kinks. Ray, who has strong Cork connections, is a mere youngster at 77.

Age has proved no barrier for McCartney, who left the house he grew up in Forthlin Road, Allerton, south Liverpool just before Beatlemania got into full swing. 

The property has been restored by the National Trust in full 60s style and next month competition winners will be able to play their own composition, inspired by the Fab Four, in the front room where Lennon and McCartney began their writing careers.

McCartney has written or co-written 192 songs that appeared in the UK’s Official Singles Chart, 33 at number one with 13 others that he provided for other artists. 

His longest-topping Beatles creation was ‘She Loves You’ at six weeks, while ‘Silly Love Songs’ with Wings led the way for five weeks. You can wish him happy birthday today by playing your own favourite. There are plenty to choose from.