One Nation Under A Groove

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t a time when nationalism has become a dangerous word, it was telling that two of the biggest acts at this year’s Electric Picnic both fly under the flag of, Say It Loud, I’m Irish And I’m Proud.

But where The Wolfe Tones – for years, the musical win of the IRA – are now a comfy nostalgia act with a bucketful of decommissioned, singalong rebel songs, Belfast’s rapping delight Kneecap are dealing with the youth, and the truth, of Northern Ireland today.

And they’re delivering their unvarnished and mildly unhinged battle cry in Irish – having been told early on by one old-school Republican pop that “every Irish word spoken is a bullet in the fight for freedom“.

That this uncompromising, unlikely hip-hop trio should become the toast of just about every town with an interest in new music has come as a surprise to most. Including members Móglai Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó Hanaidh) and DJ Próvai (JJ Ó Dochartaigh). More Pogues than Wolfe Tones, Kneecap’s rise has been mildly meteoric.

Early radio bans for the likes of their 2017 debut single C.E.A.R.T.A. and condemnation from the likes of the South Belfast Democratic Unionist Party (for chanting “Brits Out!” at a 2019 concert the day after a Belfast visit by the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) only added more fire to their belly, and more followers, with recent successes at the likes of Glastonbury and Electric Picnic plus appearances on everything from The Late Late Show to The Tonight Show in the US all paving the way for a hit album, Fine Art (released July 2024), and an acclaimed, self-titled biopic.

Which is coming to The Whale on Thursday, October 10th – tickets here.

Surprisingly funny, this is Young Offenders meets 8 Mile, with the young Liam and Naoise advised by the latter’s father, diehard Republican Arló (Michael Fassbender) to always watch westerns from the indian’s point of view.

When Irish language teacher JJ recognises Liam’s x-rated, confessional poems as the perfect lyrics for his hip-hop beats, a terrorising beauty is born. It feels like destiny that someone would eventually rhyme Connemara with marijuana.

Turning the bad vibrations of The Troubles into good vibrations for a new generation, Kneecap say it Prodigy loud, unapologetic about not liking peelers or British rule, and loving dem drugs.

Along the way, they get to deliver some hard truths. Such as the fact that Rangers are crap.

Having just been chosen as Ireland’s Oscar entry for 2025, this is a film that really needs to be seen on the big screen. With a kick-ass sound system.

You can grab your Thursday, October 10th seat at The Whale here, and go find out more about Kneecap over here.

And staying up North, the Greystones Film Club will be screening the Belfast documentary The Flats later this year. Just working out the date.