By Siobhan Clarke
Hip-hop trio Kneecap, from Béal Feirste (Belfast) in the North of Ireland, have garnered attention over the past few years due to their unequivocal support for Palestine.
The group formed in 2017, using both the English and Irish language in their music, which became an incentive for many to relearn the traditional language.
The Irish language, Gaeilge, was banned under British occupation for 600 years. However, the 1937 Constitution of Ireland established the Irish language as the national and first official language of the state, and it was only in 2022 that Irish language gained full status as an official and working language of the European Union.
Their third studio album, Fenian, has recently been released which highlights their Republican sentiment as well as their political values, with song titles such as Éire go Deo, Palestine, An Ra, and Occupied 6.
The lead-up to the drop of this album has been nothing short of contentious. Band member Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, had been chased by the UK Government over terrorism charges which were thrown out due to statute of limitations.
Last year the group toured Australia and once again controversy followed, when during one of their Melbourne gigs the severed head of a statue of King George V appeared on stage.
Well well a chairde Gael!
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) March 14, 2025
Some madman dropped by with a huge King George’s head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show!
Allegedly his head was cut off last year in the city..…anyways he was put on stage for a few tunes and then whisked away…remember every… pic.twitter.com/5f5aqBxr7S
The group took a light-hearted approach when addressing it in an Instagram post: “Some madman dropped by with a huge King George’s head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show!”
The music itself often takes inspiration from 1990s house music, electronic dance, and a blend of punk attitudes, amalgamated into their unique style.
Kneecap continues to sell out shows internationally, as well as drawing crowds for festival events such as Coachella and Glastonbury, appealing to youth culture, anti-establishment sentiment, and anti-colonial solidarity.
Featured image: The band in front of a Kneecap Fenian mural in Dundee, Scotland. Photo: Kneecap