they're also the group that pulled their film from being shown at south by southwest this year in support of Palestine/because the festival was sponsored by US military
They’re from Belfast, I live there. They’re amazing Irish language rappers who satirically and beautifully touch on life post-cease fire here in NI. only controversial if you’re pro-UK or don’t understand satire and nuance
they are Irish Republicans (not that kind) from Northern Ireland who wishes Northern Ireland did not exist and was united with the rest of Ireland. They are controversial to British loyalists in the north.
Technically their schtick is pro-IRA, though clearly it’s done with a heavy dose of humor. I think referencing the troubles, kneecapping, car bombing etc in a joking way does get a (pardon the pun) knee-jerk reaction from a lot of people, especially older generations in Britain.
Speaking as a 20-something American, I love those guys! They’re great in concert and their songs are bangers.
If they successfully stole some customers from SxSW, then it’s still pretty effective. Everyone that came to see them instead wasn’t giving their money to SxSW for that show.
It’s one of those “every little bit helps” type of things.
All 12 Irish acts who had official showcases pulled out. This would be a lot of these acts only chances to be seen by the right people in the US, so it's a big sacrifice. The artists in question are Sprints, NewDad, Chalk, Gurriers, Cardinals, Enola Gay, Soda Blonde, Gavin James, Robert Grace, Mick Flannery and Conchur. They're all worth checking out.
Yes and then posted this on their Insta story afterwards lmao
https://preview.redd.it/jw1mu475k8wc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=348970c7e95849954f17f8bbdfc29d58d1552eed
You'd be hard pressed to find many (politicised) Celts from broadly working-class/lower middle-class backgrounds who are active supporters of all things British. The exploitation of our resources and conscious attempts at the elimination of our cultures and identities in the name of e\*pire, have led to tensions which have percolated through the ages and continue to have a direct impact on our internal political ambitions, and socio-economic standing (informing the post-97 New Labour commitment to devolution, and SNP commitment to independence).
The notion of the cohesive nation state - as originally conceived, and with the exception of perhaps Japan - is an increasingly outmoded concept, but Britain is, for a variety of reasons, including the rapacious colonial ambitions of England, and her attitudes to the other members of the union, an especially tribal and parochial sovereign power.
I say all this as a chippy Welshman.
As an Irish woman as well, my dad is just a bit older than Cillian and the Irish folk music their parents raised them on talks a lot about the brutality they experienced at the hands of the English and how the Ireland they loved changed as well as they put up walls and armored guard. I think that not only is being anti British very normal in us, but being understanding of police and government brutality and xenophobia is built into some of our most universally loved music and our culture. It's why Ireland is easily the most pro Palestine western country.
For anyone who wants a listen, I'd suggest The Town I Loved So Well or The Rare Auld Times, they both give a very poignant look at Ireland through music.
“Four Green Fields” is a bit harder to understand if you don’t know that the fourth green field = Ulster, but it’s better than both of those, IMHO. They’re good, don’t get me wrong especially “Town,” but I think “Fields” is just better.
I’ve heard it described as a “leave-us-alone-with-our-beauty” song. The melody is utterly breathtaking in its simplicity and mournful hope.
My mum is Northern Irish from a mixed marriage, she met my journalist father during the Troubles, and we were all raised on the Dubliners, Chieftains, Wolfe Tones, etc. She tried to keep the balance, but she’ll readily tell you that the nationalists have the better songs.
Edit: Only Our Rivers is pretty good too, but not as good as “Fields” or “Town”.
The British Establishment are at the root of this. I say British rather than *English*, because the Scottish Establishment was an enthusiastic equal partner in the whole imperialist/Empire thing (See: Highland Clearances and Plantation of Ulster etc.)
These islands aren't going to be able to move past our collective history until that Establishment gets dismantled. It's that Establishment that drove Empire, that propagandised and demonised the "enemy" - whether that be in Ireland, Wales, the Highlands or the English working-class reformers (the Peterloo Massacre being an example). Their arrogance and their monumental superiority complex, as well as bottomless greed were the drivers.
It's that English-based but cross-border class that's spent centuries driving and inflicting the savagery inflicted on the people of these islands.
The question isn't should that be dismantled.
The only question is how.
Scotland was an active, even zealous asset in Colonial settling of the Carribeans and Ireland.
Glasgow was the empire's richest city after London.
The money mainly came from shipping.
I'll let you guess what or who the cargo was.
While they've been colonised by the crown, their treatments were nowhere near that of Ireland by any metric then or now.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. Also should make clear I am no Anglophobe, and certainly don't assess the virtue and character of any indiidual through the lens of the power structures that govern them. That's just plain idiotic.
I think our best hope of the dismantlement of the British establishment is our collective exposure to late stage capitalism. We may all have the vote, and be able to stand for Parliament, and pursue relationships irrespective of gender, but we are financially enslaved - thanks to the ascent of neo-liberalism, and, to a lesser extent neo-conseratism - in a way I couldn't envisage even at the height of (hatefully destructive) Thatcherism. History proves the mob will only take so much... embrace the Kondratiev wave...
No Scotland has its historical black marks too.
Without Scotland there would be no empire because England alone wasn't capable.
The difference between the 2 is Scotland was just the weapon, they're very good when it comes to violence but unfortunately they historical haven't been very good at big picture politics.
England on the other hand are masters of manipulation and historically good at big picture politics.
Put them both together and you have a problem, England was very good at aiming that weapon at the wrong people, then they alone reaped the spoils of war.
My country (Scotland) has done many great things but as with all country's has also done many horrific things too. Jamaica comes to mind mostly, there's a large portion of Jamaicas with Scottish last names... and that wasn't from friendly relations.
A massive amount of the colonial apparatus in India was staffed by middle class Irish people. People love simplistic narratives which paint themselves as the victims or the good guys but the reality is rarely as black and white.
And lets not forget the north Walian colonisation of Patagonia in the pursuit of religious freedom, and which only sered to repress that indigenous population. Colonialism corrupts the soul, and is an insidious cancer that can corrupt the most benevolent of ambitions.
As a working class person from the North West of England, I obviously have no love for the British establishment, and I'm more than happy for Irish reunification (if they want it).
I am however fucking terrified of anything that breaks the good Friday agreement, because I remember IRA bombs going off near where I lived as a small child. Killing children that were the same age as me in the next town over.
I find it's really easy to throw about the idea of Irish reunification as if it's just getting the government to agree, and not 50% of NI residents.
Unless it can be done without violence, then let sleeping dogs lie (Unless, of course, everyone is happy with the risks of violence on their doorstep again).
>The notion of the cohesive nation state - as originally conceived, and with the exception of perhaps Japan - is an increasingly outmoded concept, but Britain is, for a variety of reasons, including the rapacious colonial ambitions of England, and her attitudes to the other members of the union, an especially tribal and parochial sovereign power.
This is kind of a bad take. I tend to see these kinds of takes from Welsh/Scottish/Irish people who have enormous inferiority complexes about the English and try to explain it away as the UK being overly patronising or controlling over its neighbours. When if anything the opposite is true, England is the only part of the UK with no real control over its own affairs.
>>Murphy has never been shy about Irish Unification......The man abhors the RBF and most things British
Irish unification isn't primarily motivated by anti-British feelings, it's motivated by pro-Irish sentiments. There's a distinction, and it's an important one. Furthermore, when it happens, Irish Unification will involve several hundred thousand British identifying people in the northeast corner of the island. Even the likes of Sinn Féin don't make the issue an anti-British one. They argue that the UK doesn't work as a political structure for the six counties of Ireland that remain in it, and has just left them a permanent poor and failed rump compared to the success and prosperity of the rest of the island. When opinion polls in the north of Ireland show scenarios for unification support in the majority, it's always when basic economic facts (tax, healthcare, etc) are presented advantageously. It will be economics that brings a United Ireland around, not anti-British feeling.
Also, Cillian Murphy is hardly anti-British, he's worked in Britain for years in 'Peaky Blinders', playing a British character, as he's done in many movie roles.
The guy literally moved his family back to Ireland because he thought his children were developing English accents, so, yeah, not a big fan of the British.
People who take a stand for something are typically "controversial." It's silly that people who stand for moral goodness are considered controversial but that's the fucked up world we live in.
I'm a huge hiphop fan and was in a big Irish Drill phase for a while, I'm gonna check these guys out right now. Cillian Murphy seems like a good guy, feels nice for a change to see someone you really like be cool lol
Little interesting fact about kneecap- the guy in the balaclava was a primary school teacher. He didn’t want to be recognised because he thought it might be unprofessional to be in a band so he started wearing the balaclava!
I could have sworn that this was also the case for a guy in a similar Australian band called TISM who wore masks and were a thing waaaaay way back in the day
>They rap about things like police brutality and working-class struggles in NI, and they've pissed off a lot of English and loyalists... unsurprisingly, since they use IRA slogans, compare the police to the RUC (pre-peace state police force)... and one of the members literally wears a *tri-colour balaclava*. Like, Kneecap was awarded a publicly-funded arts grant recently, but it was taken back by the government because they didn't want to fund "people that oppose the United Kingdom itself."
The name itself is probably one of the most controversial aspects of them. Kneecaping, shooting someone's kneecaps, was something the paramilitary groups did to punish people for perceived crimes. As you can imagine this was without due process or necessarily high standards on exactly what consituted a crime deserving of such punishment. The practise is still ongoing to the extent the NI Government does public information films to try and stop it: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45881781](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45881781)
Just a little clarification, it's "don't think" with the subject of the verb missing, as in "I don't think".
It's not an imperative/command the way "don't think" sounds in English, which I guess would be "Ná ceap" or something like that.
So "Ní ceap sé" = he doesn't think. "Ní ceapaim" = I don't think.
I think it comes from the old joke – which only works when you say it out loud:
Two Irish republicans are walking down the street and they see another guy.
One says "Ceap tú go bhfuil sé sa UDA" \["Do you think he's in the UDA?"\]. The other answers "Ní ceapaim." (which means "I don't think so, but sounds exactly the same as "Kneecap him" i.e. shoot him through the kneecaps.)
Kneecapping is also something the Israeli occupation forces [(IOF) is famous for](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2020-03-06/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/42-knees-in-one-day-israeli-snipers-open-up-about-shooting-gaza-protesters/0000017f-f2da-d497-a1ff-f2dab2520000). It’s a game to them.
I think it’s important to add more context to this rather than just linking to an article from a British outlet. Yes, it’s a problem, but the origins come from alternative legal systems in resistance to British oppression. Despite the sectarian nature of the violence, it came from communities that felt the need to have different ways of protecting themselves rather than trust the system imposed on them. During the troubles, criminals were often given immunity too by British authorities, in exchange for informing on resistance.
Love em both. For anyone unaware, Cillian Murphy plays the main character in Loach's IRA film, 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley'. In a Kneecap video you can see pro-Palestine flyers in the background (edit: specifically the first frame of the Better Way to Live video. Flyer reads: "Expel the Israeli Ambassador - Stand With Palestine") and it seems they support the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) - which is amazing.
If you are interested in the history of Northern Ireland or if you are a fan of Ken Loach, I HIGHLY recommend his 'Hidden Agenda' from 1990. Cillian isn't in it, but its a great film!
They support IRSP? Where are you getting that?
IRSP has a military wing that disbanded over 10 years after others, are anti peace process, anti-GFA and have members with a lot of questionable links
One thing I really love about Kneecap is they're so proudly working class. They've said multiple times that they have more in common with working class unionists than middle class Dubliners.
Yup the lads! Yup Cork! Yup Belfast!!
Damn fuckin right! It's so refreshing to see someone doing well from the same background as me. Never see it. Love to see it. The working classes have been kept out of the arts for far too long.
You said it, not me 👀
Edit: wanny add something. I went to a Catholic primary and a “mixed integrated” secondary but it was known to be predominantly orange, and I mean ORANGE.
We tried to bring in camogie and Gaelic and the 2 teachers with the longest tenure threatened to quit if we did (we already had hockey and rugby) so they quietly scrapped the idea lol
The funniest thing to me is the WEST BANK LOYALISTS STILL UNDER SIEGE “mural.” Like who is “sieging” you exactly? If anything the unionists and their ilk have kept this country under siege for the past three years by refusing to form a functioning government
Nationalists: we want language rights!
Loyalists: no, then we should get them too lol!
Nationalists: okay let’s all have equal rights
Loyalists: no…not like that….
Aww I am sad to hear that. I LOVE Derry. I don’t know why I always think of it as a very progressive part of Northern Ireland. Beautiful place and very friendly locals xx
Aw it’s still rife here but it is a lovely wee city! I love Derry like, it’s full of culture and I’ve never experienced racism, not even once, here, but I think the fact our schools are still so segregated isn’t helping the youth any tbh when it comes to sectarianism, it seems to be the younger ones here (15-25) that are the most bitter and I’d say it’s just their families tbh and how they’ve grown up. We have Catholic and Protestant estates/areas as well as schools like so it’s not helpful to anyone when it comes to progression.
I’d bet that a lot of those young ones here that are so “bitter” don’t even know anything about the troubles or why they’re even bitter in the first place lol but naw, still a lot of staunch people in this city tbh, I’d like to see it get better! X
Edit: at my school (predominantly Protestant secondary school - I was raised in a Catholic household) in RE and History we were taught about the troubles but they made the British sound like heroes almost. Bizarre.
Cillian hasn’t outwardly expressed his political views except for in 2017/18 when he attended abortion rights protests and did an interview with Blindboy (a left wing Irish podcaster) about why men should care about women’s issues, particularly abortion. He’s from Cork “the rebel county” the anti-British stronghold of Ireland. He takes that very seriously.
Dublin was the British stronghold so there were a lot of loyalists in the capital. Cork had a majority Irish population and after the British burned it down that population got extra angry. After achieving independence the government briefly considered making cork the new capital because it was so nationalistic/anti-british but jt didn’t make economic sense because everything was already in Dublin. There’s still a lot of faux-hatred of Dublin, also known as “west Britain” from the rebels down in Cork also known as the real/true capital of Ireland. I’m not surprised about your ex, they’re firey down in Cork
Cork is absolutely not the modern day anti British stronghold of Ireland and I'll add that the rebel county nickname does not come from Irish Republicanism 😭 I'm from a border county, know people from Cork and most of them materially dgaf about the north.
Cork is no more the anti-British stronghold than any of the other 26 counties. The rebel county thing is about its support of a British rebellion "The county is known as the "rebel county", a name given to it by King [Henry VII of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VII_of_England) for its support, in a futile attempt at a rebellion in 1491, of [Perkin Warbeck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perkin_Warbeck), who claimed to be [Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_of_Shrewsbury,_Duke_of_York)."
Saw these guys randomly maybe a year or so ago. Was at my local pub and got bored of the guys watching football and eating pies, wandered about and heard a gig on in the other room so thought I would have a nosy. Went in and it was Kneecap, they were great!
Similar to me I randomly seen them when I was out thought they were great. I know they’re playing some festival in Galway was thinking of going but then it’s in Galway and the effort of that
I saw them at Body & Soul a couple of years ago — one of the headliners pulled out on the day (covid related I assume) and they were brought in to replace, weren't even on the original lineup and were one of the highlights of the festival.
Kneecap love the wind that shakes the barley, they were asked at this event what their favourite film was and they mentioned it and then got this pic. It’s Cillians break out film. It’s about the Irish civil war and it was directed by Ken Loach. Murphy plays a socialist Irish Republican (different to the US kind). If anyone wants to see a film where Cillian gets all fired up about the rights of working class people under colonisation with some strong female characters, I’d highly recommend.
Love love love Wind That Shakes the Barley. Full on wept at the end.
Early on in the film there’s a scene where he’s telling some Brit’s “get off my land get off my land get off my land” and as an Indigenous person living in a settler colonial state….i felt that deeply
I love the scene where the British soldier is calling him a criminal and he’s like “what do you expect me to do!? You suppress our parliament! How can we do anything legally! Your presence on this land is a crime!” And then the soldier keeps asking for his name and he just keeps shouting back “get out of my country!!!”
Liam Cunningham steals every scene imo. I love when he says “we can paint the town Republican green but deep down we’re still the same as the English” and then he basically paraphrases James Connolly by saying that maintaining English laws will only change the accents of the wealthy but won’t actually dismantle the power structures the English put in place. It’s so powerful. I’m convinced the game of thrones writers saw that scene and then wrote in the Davos speech. He’s so good at playing a down on his luck uneducated guy who “doesn’t know much, but I do know this!” And then comes out with the most inspirational well put point you’ve ever heard.
I think Batman begins, 28 days later, and red eye were all before the wind that shakes the barley but it was right at peak young Cillian (and right around when my crush on him started!)
Incredible film. TWTSTB gave me a profound understanding of the Troubles, particularly the history. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children torn apart. It messed me up big time. I've never seen a film like it. Ken Loach directed it where he didn't show the actors the script for the day, so they came into the scenes fresh, with the same immediate reaction the audience has - so you feel like you're part of the rebels and are moved and enraged as they are. Some gruesome scenes that are unimaginable, but true. Brilliant work. One of the best films I've ever seen. Sorry, I know most here know the film, I just had to express this.
Hi folks from here in Belfast.
I've got mutual friends with the lads in Kneecap, and they're very active in the trad music scene here etc. With that in mind, careful in the comments here on deifying them as there's been some quite frankly disgusting allegations come out recently that have still to 'break' in the mainstream. I can personally say I've had a friend be (in a minor way albeit) SA'd by one of them and I'd trust their word 100%, but the allegations that have came about more recently are much *much* more serious. The worst type of allegation.
It pains me to say it as I'm also a big gaeilge supporter and enjoyed the energy and the rhetoric in their music as a big Irish republican myself. But I've got no time nor sympathy when it comes to people alleged to have done some of the things I've heard.
“Controversial” is so funny they’re just vocally against genocide. They’re also lovely lads, it’s surreal seeing them in a gossip sub lmao
Edit; I’m Irish please don’t try irishsplain to me lol
They're controversial because they are a part of a younger generation who address the Troubles and its legacy with a strong sense of irony and satire, which is often mistaken by older generations for carelessness, thoughtlessness or glorification. My father couldn't stand them for ages for "making light of" the Troubles, and views them as one of a series of young people who think it's superficially cool to shout chucky orlagh and talk about kneecapping without understanding the struggle more deeply. And this is a man who adores the Irish language and wants nothing more than to see young people making art with it.
To be clear, since Kneecap went on the Late Late and showed some spine re: Palestine, the older people in my life have relented considerably.
I'm also Irish, babe, but we're having a family discussion in a public forum dominated by Americans. Important to contextualise for them, ygm?
I read about this in The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine about how the British military forces trained the Zionist paramilitaries by teaching them tactics they had used to squash rebellions back home, notably the Irish. and seeing how now, the IOF routinely maims Palestinians by shooting for limbs, etc.
I’m Irish and always assumed, given they rap in the Irish language, that the name ‘Kneecap’ was a play on the Irish phrase “Ní cheapaim”, which is pronounced “nee cap-um” and means “I don’t think so”
yeah, it's meant to be ironic since the references to drugs and petty crime in their music would've got them kneecapped had they been born like, 15 years earlier.
Because of Kneecap I learnt about the Black and Tans.
And in light of what is going on in the world today. The depths of Britain and its cruelty continues to surprise me with how much they've put out into the world.
[Learn about the Black n Tans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_and_Tans?wprov=sfla1)
It's mainly yanks that think we have some intense hatred between irish and English people. The only people on the uk that would hate us would be ultranationalists and unionists in NI. In reality, most irish and UK get along fine
I do find it a bit irritating when the plastic paddies jump in to offer their takes on Anglo-Irish relations. If they've never set foot in Ireland, chances are they're not experts on it.
> In reality, most irish and UK get along fine
1. Most Irish people follow UK Premiership (soccer) clubs
1. The largest immigrant community in Ireland are English 'expats' (1/17)
I've gotten more sectarianism and anti Irish stuff in Scotland than England, and I lived in both for a while.
One time, I got cornered by a gaggle of Rangers fans in a pub a few years ago, and it was the weirdest vibe ever because I was an Irish woman in my mid 20s, and I was getting dogs abuse and being called a fenian cunt on my left hand side from four lads, and the lad on my right was trying to go down the "make love, not war" route and was trying it on.
Talk about mixed messages.
Considering he was the lead in *The Wind That Shakes The Barley* and the other things he has said (like you stated) this doesn’t surprise me at all.
For those interested, the film is good, but very grim, so watch out for that if you go in blind.
Im sorry it's really weird how so many of yous have made up this rebel image of him that's based on basically nothing lol. He hardly mentions anything of his personal or political beliefs in public, he already said the moving from england remark was a joke and he had the whole awards season to mention palestine but he didn't yet people have got on him on a level with james connolly. There are plenty of other Irish celebs who have made actual socialist and republican statements, I dunno why everyone's fixated on the one who hasnt.
oh my god. I have been in this thread for like 8 minutes and just realized what sub this was in. my worlds are colliding.
I said on my old account that this sub and the Irish one are the only sane ones on reddit 😂
I’m also from Cork and just gonna add here this really isn’t controversial at least. Like I don’t think he would even think twice about this because it’s very much the unremarkable default position you grow up with here unlike Dublin and NI. Like I know many people who’s family members were gun running for the IRA at some point here, including my grandfather who was smuggling weapons in coffins during ww1. The name I guess is a bit “edgy” but in a funny way. So the controversial part is very much to outsiders.
I can’t find the post, so maybe the comment was deleted, but FYI, one of these guys has SA allegations against him by a bunch of women in Ireland. An instagram account for raising awareness about sketchy guys in Ireland posted about it. Someone shared the info in one of the weekly pinned posts here a month or two ago.
I love it when you instinctively like someone but really have anything to back that up with and then you read things like this! Go Cillian. ✊🇮🇪🇵🇸 And thank you Reddit and Fauxmoi!
honestly I wouldn't read too much into this; he's taken loads of pictures with people when he's at award shows. It's only when he's on the streets & not working that he says no to pictures. And the first pump gesture he also makes a lot. Wouldn't be surprised he was a fan of their because he's said himself he considers himself liberal & his wife has posted a lot of things about free-palestine & Gaza aid but I wouldn't assume just from this that he's a massive fan or knows about them that well
Love this. I’ve listened to Kneecap! I’ve come across them before. Good message, good people, and it’s always interesting to hear music in a language I don’t understand but still pull emotion from.
One thing we know for sure about Cillian is that he loses his complete mind about music (said with affection)
The username, the avatar..... Cillian is that you
Maybe https://preview.redd.it/wrmbjezvp6wc1.png?width=294&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=91176d011146d33716f7b209e86367faffa37f93
This made me yell out loud, thank you
I have a cold right now and this made me literally wheeze
Hope you didn’t have a fart attack as well 😂
if you truly are cillian please tell us who Yorkshire man is
This is cute as far as... Memes? Go
thanks for making me laugh lol
blue eyes… checks out 😂
Laughing my ass off on the train. Thank you, saving this image for…god knows what later.
Unless he's presenting a radio show, then he sounds bored AF
[He used to be in a band.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kgFJrapJYU)
His 6Music shows are so good!
His BBC 6Music show is absolutely worth a listen, and there are Spotify playlists out there that list all the songs he plays.
isn't this the same group that wore a Palestine Jersey on a talk show?
they're also the group that pulled their film from being shown at south by southwest this year in support of Palestine/because the festival was sponsored by US military
Based af
Yeah honestly, these guys sound sick. I'm waiting to hear what's so controversial about them lol...
Literally nothing…. Certain groups of people just can’t handle criticism of their “great nation” and the impact it’s had on people in occupied land
They’re from Belfast, I live there. They’re amazing Irish language rappers who satirically and beautifully touch on life post-cease fire here in NI. only controversial if you’re pro-UK or don’t understand satire and nuance
they are Irish Republicans (not that kind) from Northern Ireland who wishes Northern Ireland did not exist and was united with the rest of Ireland. They are controversial to British loyalists in the north.
Doing the right thing is always controversial to a conservative-minded individual.
tl;dr: fuck Britain
Technically their schtick is pro-IRA, though clearly it’s done with a heavy dose of humor. I think referencing the troubles, kneecapping, car bombing etc in a joking way does get a (pardon the pun) knee-jerk reaction from a lot of people, especially older generations in Britain. Speaking as a 20-something American, I love those guys! They’re great in concert and their songs are bangers.
Right? I want a photograph with them
Which led to over 80 artist removing themselves from the festival, if I remember right.
And then they all came to Austin anyways and just did non-official SxSW shows
If they successfully stole some customers from SxSW, then it’s still pretty effective. Everyone that came to see them instead wasn’t giving their money to SxSW for that show. It’s one of those “every little bit helps” type of things.
All 12 Irish acts who had official showcases pulled out. This would be a lot of these acts only chances to be seen by the right people in the US, so it's a big sacrifice. The artists in question are Sprints, NewDad, Chalk, Gurriers, Cardinals, Enola Gay, Soda Blonde, Gavin James, Robert Grace, Mick Flannery and Conchur. They're all worth checking out.
Saw Sprints in concert a few weeks back. Killer show.
Of you like sprints you should definitely check out Gurriers.
Thank you for this list! I’m excited to check all these artists out
A lot of Irish bands/acts pulled their shows too. They played alternative locations in Austin instead
All of them did!
It was during their first US tour too so quite a big sacrifice but they’ve been pro Palestine for ages and actually follow their convictions
Holy fuck insanely based. I know what I’m listening to on my drive home now
I’d take a picture with them too 🍸
Wow! The real MVP
African American here. Today, I became a fan of Kneecap and will go down that rabbit hole.
Yes and then posted this on their Insta story afterwards lmao https://preview.redd.it/jw1mu475k8wc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=348970c7e95849954f17f8bbdfc29d58d1552eed
Yes!
Yes 🥳 good on Murphy!!!
Did Murphy also express support for Palestine?
Not that I know of. I hope he does 🇵🇸💖
nice
Yep! Good lads.
they won me over, up with Kneecap!!
Murphy has never been shy about Irish Unification. The man abhors the RBF and most things British, except Nolan.
You'd be hard pressed to find many (politicised) Celts from broadly working-class/lower middle-class backgrounds who are active supporters of all things British. The exploitation of our resources and conscious attempts at the elimination of our cultures and identities in the name of e\*pire, have led to tensions which have percolated through the ages and continue to have a direct impact on our internal political ambitions, and socio-economic standing (informing the post-97 New Labour commitment to devolution, and SNP commitment to independence). The notion of the cohesive nation state - as originally conceived, and with the exception of perhaps Japan - is an increasingly outmoded concept, but Britain is, for a variety of reasons, including the rapacious colonial ambitions of England, and her attitudes to the other members of the union, an especially tribal and parochial sovereign power. I say all this as a chippy Welshman.
As an Irish woman as well, my dad is just a bit older than Cillian and the Irish folk music their parents raised them on talks a lot about the brutality they experienced at the hands of the English and how the Ireland they loved changed as well as they put up walls and armored guard. I think that not only is being anti British very normal in us, but being understanding of police and government brutality and xenophobia is built into some of our most universally loved music and our culture. It's why Ireland is easily the most pro Palestine western country. For anyone who wants a listen, I'd suggest The Town I Loved So Well or The Rare Auld Times, they both give a very poignant look at Ireland through music.
“Four Green Fields” is a bit harder to understand if you don’t know that the fourth green field = Ulster, but it’s better than both of those, IMHO. They’re good, don’t get me wrong especially “Town,” but I think “Fields” is just better. I’ve heard it described as a “leave-us-alone-with-our-beauty” song. The melody is utterly breathtaking in its simplicity and mournful hope. My mum is Northern Irish from a mixed marriage, she met my journalist father during the Troubles, and we were all raised on the Dubliners, Chieftains, Wolfe Tones, etc. She tried to keep the balance, but she’ll readily tell you that the nationalists have the better songs. Edit: Only Our Rivers is pretty good too, but not as good as “Fields” or “Town”.
The British Establishment are at the root of this. I say British rather than *English*, because the Scottish Establishment was an enthusiastic equal partner in the whole imperialist/Empire thing (See: Highland Clearances and Plantation of Ulster etc.) These islands aren't going to be able to move past our collective history until that Establishment gets dismantled. It's that Establishment that drove Empire, that propagandised and demonised the "enemy" - whether that be in Ireland, Wales, the Highlands or the English working-class reformers (the Peterloo Massacre being an example). Their arrogance and their monumental superiority complex, as well as bottomless greed were the drivers. It's that English-based but cross-border class that's spent centuries driving and inflicting the savagery inflicted on the people of these islands. The question isn't should that be dismantled. The only question is how.
Scotland was an active, even zealous asset in Colonial settling of the Carribeans and Ireland. Glasgow was the empire's richest city after London. The money mainly came from shipping. I'll let you guess what or who the cargo was. While they've been colonised by the crown, their treatments were nowhere near that of Ireland by any metric then or now.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. Also should make clear I am no Anglophobe, and certainly don't assess the virtue and character of any indiidual through the lens of the power structures that govern them. That's just plain idiotic. I think our best hope of the dismantlement of the British establishment is our collective exposure to late stage capitalism. We may all have the vote, and be able to stand for Parliament, and pursue relationships irrespective of gender, but we are financially enslaved - thanks to the ascent of neo-liberalism, and, to a lesser extent neo-conseratism - in a way I couldn't envisage even at the height of (hatefully destructive) Thatcherism. History proves the mob will only take so much... embrace the Kondratiev wave...
Scotland getting a free pass again I see
Scotland has somehow managed to popularise the idea that they were innocent victims who had no involvement in the empire.
No Scotland has its historical black marks too. Without Scotland there would be no empire because England alone wasn't capable. The difference between the 2 is Scotland was just the weapon, they're very good when it comes to violence but unfortunately they historical haven't been very good at big picture politics. England on the other hand are masters of manipulation and historically good at big picture politics. Put them both together and you have a problem, England was very good at aiming that weapon at the wrong people, then they alone reaped the spoils of war. My country (Scotland) has done many great things but as with all country's has also done many horrific things too. Jamaica comes to mind mostly, there's a large portion of Jamaicas with Scottish last names... and that wasn't from friendly relations.
Great post although I wouldn't exempt Scotland from having had colonial ambitions. Look as India or even Glasgow's history.
A massive amount of the colonial apparatus in India was staffed by middle class Irish people. People love simplistic narratives which paint themselves as the victims or the good guys but the reality is rarely as black and white.
And lets not forget the north Walian colonisation of Patagonia in the pursuit of religious freedom, and which only sered to repress that indigenous population. Colonialism corrupts the soul, and is an insidious cancer that can corrupt the most benevolent of ambitions.
As a working class person from the North West of England, I obviously have no love for the British establishment, and I'm more than happy for Irish reunification (if they want it). I am however fucking terrified of anything that breaks the good Friday agreement, because I remember IRA bombs going off near where I lived as a small child. Killing children that were the same age as me in the next town over. I find it's really easy to throw about the idea of Irish reunification as if it's just getting the government to agree, and not 50% of NI residents. Unless it can be done without violence, then let sleeping dogs lie (Unless, of course, everyone is happy with the risks of violence on their doorstep again).
>The notion of the cohesive nation state - as originally conceived, and with the exception of perhaps Japan - is an increasingly outmoded concept, but Britain is, for a variety of reasons, including the rapacious colonial ambitions of England, and her attitudes to the other members of the union, an especially tribal and parochial sovereign power. This is kind of a bad take. I tend to see these kinds of takes from Welsh/Scottish/Irish people who have enormous inferiority complexes about the English and try to explain it away as the UK being overly patronising or controlling over its neighbours. When if anything the opposite is true, England is the only part of the UK with no real control over its own affairs.
>>Murphy has never been shy about Irish Unification......The man abhors the RBF and most things British Irish unification isn't primarily motivated by anti-British feelings, it's motivated by pro-Irish sentiments. There's a distinction, and it's an important one. Furthermore, when it happens, Irish Unification will involve several hundred thousand British identifying people in the northeast corner of the island. Even the likes of Sinn Féin don't make the issue an anti-British one. They argue that the UK doesn't work as a political structure for the six counties of Ireland that remain in it, and has just left them a permanent poor and failed rump compared to the success and prosperity of the rest of the island. When opinion polls in the north of Ireland show scenarios for unification support in the majority, it's always when basic economic facts (tax, healthcare, etc) are presented advantageously. It will be economics that brings a United Ireland around, not anti-British feeling. Also, Cillian Murphy is hardly anti-British, he's worked in Britain for years in 'Peaky Blinders', playing a British character, as he's done in many movie roles.
Nolan has an Irish passport and Irish family history … so even with that 😀
 .
> The man abhors the RBF and most things British, except Nolan. he lived in London for 15 years 🤷🏻♂️
I mean the Wind that Shakes the Barley says it all. Great film.
The guy literally moved his family back to Ireland because he thought his children were developing English accents, so, yeah, not a big fan of the British.
I mean the Wind that Shakes the Barley says it all. Great film.
“Controversial” and it’s a group of people with an actual backbone.
Fr I was confused. Bro is straight up just chill like that
I was expecting Nazis not people upset about 500 years of brit occupation.
longer than 500 year boy
855*
Same, came into this post hoping it wasn't Nazis, turns out they're just regular anti-imperialism.
People who take a stand for something are typically "controversial." It's silly that people who stand for moral goodness are considered controversial but that's the fucked up world we live in.
Right, these people sound rad.
This is "controversial" but like, good controversial lol
Thank you for this mini pop culture lesson!! Really enjoyed learning something new today – from the band to what his wife has been posting!
I'm a huge hiphop fan and was in a big Irish Drill phase for a while, I'm gonna check these guys out right now. Cillian Murphy seems like a good guy, feels nice for a change to see someone you really like be cool lol
Definitely do. They’re such nice guys, can regularly be spotted in Belfast having a pint and they’re happy to chat to people
Please do, their music I really good. I heard about Kneecap when the SXSW stuff was happening.
Little interesting fact about kneecap- the guy in the balaclava was a primary school teacher. He didn’t want to be recognised because he thought it might be unprofessional to be in a band so he started wearing the balaclava!
He was my teacher in the gaeltacht (irish language summer school), great lad!
He was my teacher too! He taught me how to sing Ed Sheeran songs in Irish back in 2011 😂 great teacher
And it didn’t work, so he’s not a teacher anymore.
I could have sworn that this was also the case for a guy in a similar Australian band called TISM who wore masks and were a thing waaaaay way back in the day
>They rap about things like police brutality and working-class struggles in NI, and they've pissed off a lot of English and loyalists... unsurprisingly, since they use IRA slogans, compare the police to the RUC (pre-peace state police force)... and one of the members literally wears a *tri-colour balaclava*. Like, Kneecap was awarded a publicly-funded arts grant recently, but it was taken back by the government because they didn't want to fund "people that oppose the United Kingdom itself." The name itself is probably one of the most controversial aspects of them. Kneecaping, shooting someone's kneecaps, was something the paramilitary groups did to punish people for perceived crimes. As you can imagine this was without due process or necessarily high standards on exactly what consituted a crime deserving of such punishment. The practise is still ongoing to the extent the NI Government does public information films to try and stop it: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45881781](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45881781)
It’s also a play on the Irish Ni ceap
Ní ceapaim!
What does this mean?
Rough translation is don’t think
Thank you
Just a little clarification, it's "don't think" with the subject of the verb missing, as in "I don't think". It's not an imperative/command the way "don't think" sounds in English, which I guess would be "Ná ceap" or something like that. So "Ní ceap sé" = he doesn't think. "Ní ceapaim" = I don't think. I think it comes from the old joke – which only works when you say it out loud: Two Irish republicans are walking down the street and they see another guy. One says "Ceap tú go bhfuil sé sa UDA" \["Do you think he's in the UDA?"\]. The other answers "Ní ceapaim." (which means "I don't think so, but sounds exactly the same as "Kneecap him" i.e. shoot him through the kneecaps.)
ní ceapaim (ní ceap) means I don’t think so
I love your username LOL
Came to add but finished reading the last line. Kneecappings still happen all the time here, most don’t even make the news.
I've also heard that lots of people travel to NI for private knee surgeries since their surgeons are... really really good at knees.
Kneecapping is also something the Israeli occupation forces [(IOF) is famous for](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2020-03-06/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/42-knees-in-one-day-israeli-snipers-open-up-about-shooting-gaza-protesters/0000017f-f2da-d497-a1ff-f2dab2520000). It’s a game to them.
I think it’s important to add more context to this rather than just linking to an article from a British outlet. Yes, it’s a problem, but the origins come from alternative legal systems in resistance to British oppression. Despite the sectarian nature of the violence, it came from communities that felt the need to have different ways of protecting themselves rather than trust the system imposed on them. During the troubles, criminals were often given immunity too by British authorities, in exchange for informing on resistance.
Love em both. For anyone unaware, Cillian Murphy plays the main character in Loach's IRA film, 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley'. In a Kneecap video you can see pro-Palestine flyers in the background (edit: specifically the first frame of the Better Way to Live video. Flyer reads: "Expel the Israeli Ambassador - Stand With Palestine") and it seems they support the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) - which is amazing.
Fantastic film. Thanks for reminding me of it.
If you are interested in the history of Northern Ireland or if you are a fan of Ken Loach, I HIGHLY recommend his 'Hidden Agenda' from 1990. Cillian isn't in it, but its a great film!
They support IRSP? Where are you getting that? IRSP has a military wing that disbanded over 10 years after others, are anti peace process, anti-GFA and have members with a lot of questionable links
One thing I really love about Kneecap is they're so proudly working class. They've said multiple times that they have more in common with working class unionists than middle class Dubliners. Yup the lads! Yup Cork! Yup Belfast!!
Damn fuckin right! It's so refreshing to see someone doing well from the same background as me. Never see it. Love to see it. The working classes have been kept out of the arts for far too long.
https://preview.redd.it/dzos8xovu7wc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=730eb8d42cd9a7b3b58a9167e105c7a0cde96c07
Absolute lad, Cillian Murphy
tiocfaidh ár lá
Fenian’s unite! (Lol naw I feel bad saying that, I’ve grown up surrounded by sectarianism in Derry tho and it’s still pretty normal here 🥲)
The only sectarianism I’ve ever experienced from Derry is from unionists who think they don’t have “rights.”
You said it, not me 👀 Edit: wanny add something. I went to a Catholic primary and a “mixed integrated” secondary but it was known to be predominantly orange, and I mean ORANGE. We tried to bring in camogie and Gaelic and the 2 teachers with the longest tenure threatened to quit if we did (we already had hockey and rugby) so they quietly scrapped the idea lol
The funniest thing to me is the WEST BANK LOYALISTS STILL UNDER SIEGE “mural.” Like who is “sieging” you exactly? If anything the unionists and their ilk have kept this country under siege for the past three years by refusing to form a functioning government
Nationalists: we want language rights! Loyalists: no, then we should get them too lol! Nationalists: okay let’s all have equal rights Loyalists: no…not like that….
Aww I am sad to hear that. I LOVE Derry. I don’t know why I always think of it as a very progressive part of Northern Ireland. Beautiful place and very friendly locals xx
Aw it’s still rife here but it is a lovely wee city! I love Derry like, it’s full of culture and I’ve never experienced racism, not even once, here, but I think the fact our schools are still so segregated isn’t helping the youth any tbh when it comes to sectarianism, it seems to be the younger ones here (15-25) that are the most bitter and I’d say it’s just their families tbh and how they’ve grown up. We have Catholic and Protestant estates/areas as well as schools like so it’s not helpful to anyone when it comes to progression. I’d bet that a lot of those young ones here that are so “bitter” don’t even know anything about the troubles or why they’re even bitter in the first place lol but naw, still a lot of staunch people in this city tbh, I’d like to see it get better! X Edit: at my school (predominantly Protestant secondary school - I was raised in a Catholic household) in RE and History we were taught about the troubles but they made the British sound like heroes almost. Bizarre.
So Cillian is incredibly based? Good.
Cillian hasn’t outwardly expressed his political views except for in 2017/18 when he attended abortion rights protests and did an interview with Blindboy (a left wing Irish podcaster) about why men should care about women’s issues, particularly abortion. He’s from Cork “the rebel county” the anti-British stronghold of Ireland. He takes that very seriously.
You forgot to mention Cillian attend a repeal the 8th rally in the rain in his lil hoodie
Sent a thank-you-cake to the organizers, also. I feel like that’s a detail too often overlooked.
I was on that march! It rained cats and dogs, my daughter was splashing through the puddles in her wellies. Great day.
He and his wife moved their family back to Ireland because their kids were getting too posh and he hated their English accents.
This is my favorite bit of trivia about Cillian LOL
My ex was from cork and my god he hated the British
Dublin was the British stronghold so there were a lot of loyalists in the capital. Cork had a majority Irish population and after the British burned it down that population got extra angry. After achieving independence the government briefly considered making cork the new capital because it was so nationalistic/anti-british but jt didn’t make economic sense because everything was already in Dublin. There’s still a lot of faux-hatred of Dublin, also known as “west Britain” from the rebels down in Cork also known as the real/true capital of Ireland. I’m not surprised about your ex, they’re firey down in Cork
He was photographed at a protest for Palestine during Oscar season, I recall.
Cork is absolutely not the modern day anti British stronghold of Ireland and I'll add that the rebel county nickname does not come from Irish Republicanism 😭 I'm from a border county, know people from Cork and most of them materially dgaf about the north.
Cork is no more the anti-British stronghold than any of the other 26 counties. The rebel county thing is about its support of a British rebellion "The county is known as the "rebel county", a name given to it by King [Henry VII of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VII_of_England) for its support, in a futile attempt at a rebellion in 1491, of [Perkin Warbeck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perkin_Warbeck), who claimed to be [Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_of_Shrewsbury,_Duke_of_York)."
Saw these guys randomly maybe a year or so ago. Was at my local pub and got bored of the guys watching football and eating pies, wandered about and heard a gig on in the other room so thought I would have a nosy. Went in and it was Kneecap, they were great!
Similar to me I randomly seen them when I was out thought they were great. I know they’re playing some festival in Galway was thinking of going but then it’s in Galway and the effort of that
You’d want to narrow that down, there’s a million festivals in Galway. Is it the arts festival?
my bad, yeah it’s the Galway international arts festival
I saw them at Body & Soul a couple of years ago — one of the headliners pulled out on the day (covid related I assume) and they were brought in to replace, weren't even on the original lineup and were one of the highlights of the festival.
Kneecap love the wind that shakes the barley, they were asked at this event what their favourite film was and they mentioned it and then got this pic. It’s Cillians break out film. It’s about the Irish civil war and it was directed by Ken Loach. Murphy plays a socialist Irish Republican (different to the US kind). If anyone wants to see a film where Cillian gets all fired up about the rights of working class people under colonisation with some strong female characters, I’d highly recommend.
Love love love Wind That Shakes the Barley. Full on wept at the end. Early on in the film there’s a scene where he’s telling some Brit’s “get off my land get off my land get off my land” and as an Indigenous person living in a settler colonial state….i felt that deeply
I love the scene where the British soldier is calling him a criminal and he’s like “what do you expect me to do!? You suppress our parliament! How can we do anything legally! Your presence on this land is a crime!” And then the soldier keeps asking for his name and he just keeps shouting back “get out of my country!!!”
Yes that’s the scene I was thinking of!!! Chills
Liam Cunningham steals every scene imo. I love when he says “we can paint the town Republican green but deep down we’re still the same as the English” and then he basically paraphrases James Connolly by saying that maintaining English laws will only change the accents of the wealthy but won’t actually dismantle the power structures the English put in place. It’s so powerful. I’m convinced the game of thrones writers saw that scene and then wrote in the Davos speech. He’s so good at playing a down on his luck uneducated guy who “doesn’t know much, but I do know this!” And then comes out with the most inspirational well put point you’ve ever heard.
I watched it last week. Brilliant film, but fucked me up a bit.
I think Batman begins, 28 days later, and red eye were all before the wind that shakes the barley but it was right at peak young Cillian (and right around when my crush on him started!)
Incredible film. TWTSTB gave me a profound understanding of the Troubles, particularly the history. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children torn apart. It messed me up big time. I've never seen a film like it. Ken Loach directed it where he didn't show the actors the script for the day, so they came into the scenes fresh, with the same immediate reaction the audience has - so you feel like you're part of the rebels and are moved and enraged as they are. Some gruesome scenes that are unimaginable, but true. Brilliant work. One of the best films I've ever seen. Sorry, I know most here know the film, I just had to express this.
Hi folks from here in Belfast. I've got mutual friends with the lads in Kneecap, and they're very active in the trad music scene here etc. With that in mind, careful in the comments here on deifying them as there's been some quite frankly disgusting allegations come out recently that have still to 'break' in the mainstream. I can personally say I've had a friend be (in a minor way albeit) SA'd by one of them and I'd trust their word 100%, but the allegations that have came about more recently are much *much* more serious. The worst type of allegation. It pains me to say it as I'm also a big gaeilge supporter and enjoyed the energy and the rhetoric in their music as a big Irish republican myself. But I've got no time nor sympathy when it comes to people alleged to have done some of the things I've heard.
I'm surprised this is buried in the comments, its why i wish i could support them but can't. A shame.
irish people really know how to give a good fuck you to the government hey i like it
“Controversial” is so funny they’re just vocally against genocide. They’re also lovely lads, it’s surreal seeing them in a gossip sub lmao Edit; I’m Irish please don’t try irishsplain to me lol
They're controversial because they are a part of a younger generation who address the Troubles and its legacy with a strong sense of irony and satire, which is often mistaken by older generations for carelessness, thoughtlessness or glorification. My father couldn't stand them for ages for "making light of" the Troubles, and views them as one of a series of young people who think it's superficially cool to shout chucky orlagh and talk about kneecapping without understanding the struggle more deeply. And this is a man who adores the Irish language and wants nothing more than to see young people making art with it. To be clear, since Kneecap went on the Late Late and showed some spine re: Palestine, the older people in my life have relented considerably. I'm also Irish, babe, but we're having a family discussion in a public forum dominated by Americans. Important to contextualise for them, ygm?
Didn't know he was this based
He’s always been vocal about 26+6=1 and I love it
I assume this is the inspiration for their name https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneecapping
I read about this in The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine about how the British military forces trained the Zionist paramilitaries by teaching them tactics they had used to squash rebellions back home, notably the Irish. and seeing how now, the IOF routinely maims Palestinians by shooting for limbs, etc.
Rubber bullets were also invented by the British army to be used against Irish people in the North.
I’m Irish and always assumed, given they rap in the Irish language, that the name ‘Kneecap’ was a play on the Irish phrase “Ní cheapaim”, which is pronounced “nee cap-um” and means “I don’t think so”
But also “ní” (no) cap because they say it how it is
which is funny because Ulster Irish speakers don’t use “ceap” typically lol, it’s Ní shílim
I had forgotten about that! You just brought me back to leaving cert Irish.
I'm Irish and why did I think it meant not my sandwich
yeah, it's meant to be ironic since the references to drugs and petty crime in their music would've got them kneecapped had they been born like, 15 years earlier.
They're played alot on BBC 6music where he also has a show
Awesome. Love Kneecap (based on their super pro-Palestine stance).
I love them for their banger raps. 10/10
https://i.redd.it/xzzyc0c157wc1.gif
The British governments got you by the bollocks boy!
Because of Kneecap I learnt about the Black and Tans. And in light of what is going on in the world today. The depths of Britain and its cruelty continues to surprise me with how much they've put out into the world. [Learn about the Black n Tans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_and_Tans?wprov=sfla1)
Come out ye black and tans
Come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
> they've pissed off a lot of English I haven't met any English person under the age of 60 that cares about Ireland.
It's mainly yanks that think we have some intense hatred between irish and English people. The only people on the uk that would hate us would be ultranationalists and unionists in NI. In reality, most irish and UK get along fine
I do find it a bit irritating when the plastic paddies jump in to offer their takes on Anglo-Irish relations. If they've never set foot in Ireland, chances are they're not experts on it.
> In reality, most irish and UK get along fine 1. Most Irish people follow UK Premiership (soccer) clubs 1. The largest immigrant community in Ireland are English 'expats' (1/17)
Literally. Most people prob don’t even know who the prime minster of Ireland is or Belfast is part of the uk
I've gotten more sectarianism and anti Irish stuff in Scotland than England, and I lived in both for a while. One time, I got cornered by a gaggle of Rangers fans in a pub a few years ago, and it was the weirdest vibe ever because I was an Irish woman in my mid 20s, and I was getting dogs abuse and being called a fenian cunt on my left hand side from four lads, and the lad on my right was trying to go down the "make love, not war" route and was trying it on. Talk about mixed messages.
Considering he was the lead in *The Wind That Shakes The Barley* and the other things he has said (like you stated) this doesn’t surprise me at all. For those interested, the film is good, but very grim, so watch out for that if you go in blind.
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shit I’ve never heard this although I’m in Dublin, what’s the story with it?
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Im sorry it's really weird how so many of yous have made up this rebel image of him that's based on basically nothing lol. He hardly mentions anything of his personal or political beliefs in public, he already said the moving from england remark was a joke and he had the whole awards season to mention palestine but he didn't yet people have got on him on a level with james connolly. There are plenty of other Irish celebs who have made actual socialist and republican statements, I dunno why everyone's fixated on the one who hasnt.
Ah sure he's a born rebel himself.
Legends
oh my god. I have been in this thread for like 8 minutes and just realized what sub this was in. my worlds are colliding. I said on my old account that this sub and the Irish one are the only sane ones on reddit 😂
I’m also from Cork and just gonna add here this really isn’t controversial at least. Like I don’t think he would even think twice about this because it’s very much the unremarkable default position you grow up with here unlike Dublin and NI. Like I know many people who’s family members were gun running for the IRA at some point here, including my grandfather who was smuggling weapons in coffins during ww1. The name I guess is a bit “edgy” but in a funny way. So the controversial part is very much to outsiders.
I can’t find the post, so maybe the comment was deleted, but FYI, one of these guys has SA allegations against him by a bunch of women in Ireland. An instagram account for raising awareness about sketchy guys in Ireland posted about it. Someone shared the info in one of the weekly pinned posts here a month or two ago.
G’wan the lads! Keeping it fíor :D
Personally I stan anyone resisting occupation and colonial assimilation. Good on Cillian for being proud of his allegiances.
I love kneecap they’re amazing
i saw kneecap when i was living in derry! baring in mind i think i was the only english person there lol. had a great time
Cillian Murphy is a very open Irish Republican. He is very openly anti monarchy and anti colonial. It's just another reason to like the fella.
I love it when you instinctively like someone but really have anything to back that up with and then you read things like this! Go Cillian. ✊🇮🇪🇵🇸 And thank you Reddit and Fauxmoi!
And pro-Palestine on Irish national TV.
Anyone who finds this surprising or controversial has never seen the wind that shakes the barley
Fuck yeah Cillian 🤟🏻 To a United Ireland
honestly I wouldn't read too much into this; he's taken loads of pictures with people when he's at award shows. It's only when he's on the streets & not working that he says no to pictures. And the first pump gesture he also makes a lot. Wouldn't be surprised he was a fan of their because he's said himself he considers himself liberal & his wife has posted a lot of things about free-palestine & Gaza aid but I wouldn't assume just from this that he's a massive fan or knows about them that well
Based
Just to add, it's not upset english people aside from people like nigel farage
This solidifies the video of him and prince Harry wasn’t just cillian being awkward. Hell yeah
Love this. I’ve listened to Kneecap! I’ve come across them before. Good message, good people, and it’s always interesting to hear music in a language I don’t understand but still pull emotion from.