The childhood of Noel and Liam Gallagher was a stark contrast of working-class struggle, severe domestic abuse, and a deep-rooted Irish-Catholic identity in Manchester. Growing up in the suburb of Burnage, their early years laid the groundwork for both their musical genius and their legendary volatile relationship.
The brothers grew up in a household dominated by their father, Tommy Gallagher, who was an alcoholic and frequently violent. Both Noel and the eldest brother, Paul, were regularly beaten by their father. Interestingly, Liam (the “baby” of the family) was largely spared from the physical abuse, which created an early psychological divide between the brothers. The trauma was so severe that both Noel and Paul developed stammers. They eventually required four years of speech therapy to overcome them.
In 1982, when Liam was 10 and Noel was 15, Peggy took the children and left Tommy while he was out, moving them to a new home in Burnage to escape the violence. In both their old and new homes, Noel and Liam were forced to share a bedroom, while the eldest brother, Paul, had his own. This forced proximity contributed to their lifelong habit of arguing.
The five-year age gap and the differing treatment from their father shaped their personalities. Often described as a “daydreamer” and a “weirdo” by Liam, Noel spent much of his time alone in his room. He was the "scapegoat" for his father’s anger and learned to withdraw into his own world—which is where he began teaching himself guitar. Liam was the “golden child” of the family. He was high-energy, obsessed with football (Manchester City), and didn’t actually show any interest in music until he was nearly 18. He was a self-described “little sh*t” who spent his time getting into mischief and “wagging” (skipping) school.
Both parents were Irish immigrants (from Mayo and Meath). The brothers spent many summers in rural Ireland with their mother’s family, which they credit for their storytelling ability and “give-a-damn” attitude. They attended St. Bernard’s RC Primary and later Barlow Roman Catholic High. Neither was academically inclined; Noel was eventually expelled for allegedly throwing a flour bomb at a teacher, and Liam left with no qualifications.
Despite their later fame, their mother Peggy famously refused to move into a mansion. When the brothers became millionaires, she reportedly only asked them for a new garden gate.
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