Together (This Is The Place) by Tony Walsh, Manchester’s powerful respond to terror, to be released as single.

After the tragic events of the recent Manchester attack, the city has come together to show its spirit, and all this is encapsulated in a beautiful and powerful poetry piece by Tony Walsh, now due to be released as a single. Love conquers all. The city, its people, they survive, terror never wins.

Following the tragic events of the May 22nd terror attack in Manchester, United Kingdom, the news has been full of examples of the city banding together in unity to show that Manchester, and by association, the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain will not be scared or cowed in the face of the terrorist threat.

Wordsmith Tony Walsh, a Mancunian born and bred, made headlines around the world at the Manchester vigil for the victims of the attack in Albert Square the night after. When he stood before a hushed crowd and emotionally recited his 2013 poem Together (This Is The Place) it resonated all who heard it, becoming a rallying cry for the people of the city, and the country.

Originally written as a passionate love poem to Manchester in 2003 for the charity Together Manchester. The poem has now been officially released as a single from the production team New Mount City Breakers.

The new charity single takes the words of a Manchester poem “Together (This Is The Place)” by Tony Walsh, writing as Longfella, and puts it to a fittingly Mancunian, New Order style electronic backing. Money raised from the single will benefit the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, Forever Manchester, and the Manchester Mayor’s Homelessness Fund.

The single has been released with the support of noted Manchunians Liam Gallagher (Oasis) and Peter Hook (New Order). Liam called the poem “the best thing I’ve ever heard come out of any Mancunian’s mouth“, and I can only agree.

You can view the powerful poem below. It encapsulates the spirit of the city, remembering the tragedy yet showing those that would commit evil that Manchester will not cower before them.

Here, as an example, we show you a couple of verses to capture the spirit of the piece, capturing all that is great, and good, and strong, about this magnificent city.

Because this is the place in our hearts, in our homes

Because this is the place that’s a part of our bones

Because Manchester gives us such strength from the fact

That this is the place. We should give something back.

And there’s hard times again in these streets of our city

But we won’t take defeat and we don’t want your pity

Because this is a place where we stand together

With a smile on our face, Mancunians Forever.

The poem ends with the emotive words: “Choose love.” And the people of Manchester, diverse, amazing, forgiving, strong, they choose love, they choose life, they choose to embrace diversity, reject hate. They always will.

On 22nd May 2017, the terrorist Salman Ramadan Abedi walked into the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by Ariana Grande. He detonated a shrapnel bomb, killing 22 people, injuring many more, including children. The tragedy sparked outrage worldwide, and the city of Manchester came together immediately to respond in the only way to terror, with love, and strength, and unity.