LONDON CELTIC PUNKS WEB-ZINE

  • HAS IT REALLY BEEN TWENTY YEARS SINCE SHANE MacGOWAN AT THE IRISH ROVER?

    It’s not very often that London Celtic Punks can feature a friend of ours reminiscing about the time he performed withe legendary Godfather of Celtic-Punk – Mr. MacGowan himself. Well Kevin Rooney had that pleasure at the Irish Rover in New York and here takes us back twenty years to that night! On the 12th…

  • A TRIBUTE TO THE POGUES – FAIRYTALE OF BUFFALO NY 2023

    Four great bands in one night celebrating the Pogues, the godfather and forebears of everything celtic punk. What could possibly be bad?  Not a lot, I’ll sure as hell say.  Our man ‘cross the broad Atlantic’ didn’t have far to travel to check out this gig in his home town and even got on the…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE O’MAOLEGAIN RAKE – It Had to be Done (2023)

    The debut album from New York’s The O’Maolegain Rake.  Oi-rish? Working Class Celtic? Sloughter Ska? Folk Punk? Whatever… Written, played, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by a soul individual. O’Maolegain, a “celtified” surname derived from half-historical, half fictitious origins and the term “Rake”, used in a historical context, is a term short for “rakehell”. A man…

  • NEW SINGLE: TEMPLARS OF DOOM – Will Ye No Come Back Again

    New York unashamedly Irish-American Celtic-Punk Irish band The Templars Of Doom just released a stunning new video and single taken from their recently released third album Rising Of The Doom. Coming out of the aptly titled Ulster County in New York state come The Templars Of Doom. Paying homage to the UK82 style of English…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: AFTER HOURS VOLUME TWO – BLACK 47 TRIBUTE COMPILATION (2022)

    Thirty years on from the release of Black 47’s eponymous first album and a year after Volume One comes the second part of a trilogy of tribute albums celebrating this popular and most controversial of Celtic-Punk bands of whom Time magazine wrote in 1993 “the proletariat passion of Black 47’s songs that make the group…

  • LIVE REVIEW: DROPKICK MURPHYS ST. PATRICK’S TOUR WITH THE RUMJACKS AND MORE

    The power of your example is far greater than what you say! and their ain’t no band who set a better example than the Dropkick Murphys. Love, loyalty and friendship. Ray Ball was lucky enough to catch the Murphys on only the second leg of their St. Patrick’s tour in Rochester, New York.  So, we…

  • IRISH-BORN AND IRISH-AMERICANS; SEPERATED BY COMMON HERITAGE?

    by Kevin Rooney Before I became active on social media; I had noticed a lot of hostility, even abuse directed toward Irish-Americans on Irish groups and pages. I even experienced a bit myself. Before that I suppose I was aware of how unpopular Americans are abroad, but had hoped the relationship of the Irish with…

  • 1916’S BILL CHATS WITH LONDON CELTIC PUNKS ABOUT THE BANDS LATEST ALBUM

    Upstate NY, Celtic rockers 1916 are an explosive concoction of modern Irish Folk, Punk and Psychobilly which makes 1916’s sound both highly original and at the same time traditional! A band that truly stands apart from other bands in the Celtic-Punk genre. Our man Raymond Lloyd Ball caught up with lead singer and songwriter Bill…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: RAISE YOUR PINTS. CELTIC- PUNK SAMPLER. VOLUME 6 – VARIOUS ARTISTS (2021)

    From the scene. For the scene. After months of planning, organising and fund-raising the compilation album Raise Your Pints #6 has finally been delivered. Twenty bands from eleven countries celebrating (might be the wrong word- editor) the virus lockdowns in Celtic-Folk-Punk style.  Anyone remember the original Celtic-Punk samplers from Shite’n’Onions? I think they stretched to…

  • JUSTICE FOR THE CRAIGAVON 2 BENEFIT SINGLE FROM NEW YORK’S ALTERNATIVE ULSTER

    A new track from New York State Celtic-Punk band Alternative Ulster to raise awareness of the campaign to free the innocent Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton. Now in their twelfth year of imprisonment and otherwise known as The Craigavon 2. Justice for Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton, who were unjustly convicted of murder…

  • REMEMBERING MICHAEL KILROE 1957-2021

    It was with great sadness that on last Saturday morning I woke to the very sad and shocking news that Mike Kilroe had passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in New York state. At a time when the Celtic-Punk scene was floundering Mike started the Celtic Punk, Folk And Rock Fans group…

  • INTERVIEW WITH MIKE KILROE FROM THE ‘CELTIC PUNK, FOLK AND ROCK FANS’ GROUP

    Little over a year ago a new Group appeared on Facebook called Celtic Punk, Folk And Rock Fans and considering 2019 was a bad year for Celtic-Punk media with two of the biggest sites closing it has been an invaluable place for fans old and new to share and introduce music to each other. Despite…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE WILD IRISH ROSES- ‘Full Bloom’ (2020)

    The Wild Irish Roses are a true family band. Mom, Dad and 8 kids. They live in New Paltz, NY Josie Rose (21) sings, plays banjo, mandolin, penny whistle, viola. Michael X. (dad) plays guitar. Kristi (mom) sings, plays bass. Hanna (23) plays bodhran. Evelyn(18) sings, plays concertina, accordion,viola. Penelope (16) sings,plays Guitar, and tambourine. Aenghus…

  • EP REVIEW: 1916- ‘Meant To Be’ (2020)

    Hailing from upstate NY, Celtic rockers 1916 are an explosive concoction of the modern Irish Punk movement with an original mix of psychobilly which gives 1916 a sound that stands apart from other bands of the genre. Kicking off on New Years Day with a new EP big fan of 1916 Marv was among the first to buy it…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS THE BEST OF 2019!

    Well here we go again. It only seems like five minutes since I was compiling all the votes into last years Best Of that saw The Rumjacks romping home with Album Of The Year. This year has been a bit quieter on the Celtic-Punk front but as last year was so busy that is perhaps…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE NARROWBACKS- ‘By Hook Or By Crook’ (2019)

    New York Irish Music The Narrowbacks are back with their third album of Irish-American Celtic-Rock and conceivably their best yet! If Joe Strummer, Shane MacGowan and Bruce Springsteen survived a drinking session through the 5 boroughs, the hangover would be called The Narrowbacks. Fire it up! nar·row·back /ˈnæroʊˌbæk/ [nar-oh-bak] –noun Slang. 1. Disparaging. an Irish-American. 2.…

  • EP REVIEW: THE FIGHTING 69th- ‘Barroom Heroes. Tribute To The Dropkick Murphys’ (2019)

    Buffalo, New York’s ‘One Man Band’ The Fighting 69th release their tribute to Celtic-Punk’s #1 band. Six songs given an affectionate twist and available as a free download. We have to go back to 2007 to the origins of The Fighting 69th. Three seventeen year old mates in a friends basement were sick to death…

  • “YOU’RE A ENGLISH BASTARD, YOU’RE A IRISH BASTARD”

    “You’re a English Bastard, You’re a Irish Bastard” is funny way to explain the situation of Irish folks born outside of Ireland. Stephen Gara, a friend, musician who plays in Neck, and who currently lives in the Hudson Valley was born in London to Irish parents. He told how the English referred to him as…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: ALTERNATIVE ULSTER- ‘Craic Agus Ceol’ (2019)

    Energetic Irish-American Celtic-Punk experience fuelled by Irish whiskey, Irish History and Great Highland Bagpipes! The roots of Alternative Ulster began in March 2015 in NY State’s Catskill’s region. Since then album’s have have been released at regular intervals starting with their debut album, Rebellion. Raw punk rock with Highland bagpipes or as piper John McGovern…

  • GIG REVIEW: BACKSEAT HOOLIGANS IN NEW YORK – 17th FEBRUARY 2019

    “On the 1st day of March it was raining…” so sang yer man and if the Celtic nations ever do get more than a cursory glance then March would a perfect time to do Celtic History Month. With today being the feast of St. David of Cymru, the 5th for St. Piran of Kernow and…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM- ‘Hovels Of The Holy’ (2019)

    What to do when a mate releases a new album? To stave off any allegations of nepotism ye rope in a guest reviewer to do it instead! With Ulster county Celtic-Punks The Templars Of Doom second album out our favourite South Carolinan Folk-Punk accordion playing multi-instrumentalist TC Costello rode into town with some pen and paper and…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: ALTERNATIVE ULSTER- ‘Boobies, Bagpipes, Banjos & Beer’ (2018)

    Back again with their third album it’s New York’s Alternative Ulster with another, lucky for us, thirteen songs of punk rock driven energetic Celtic pride, humor and downright defiance. Almost six months to the day that previous album, Pog Mo Thoin, hit the streets New York’s Alternative Ulster are back again with another album of rough’n’ready Irish-American…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: 1916- ‘Far Beyond The Pale’ (2018)

    The fourth studio album from one of the best bands in Celtic-Punk, the Rochester, NY based Irish-American band 1916. An explosive concoction of modern day Irish Punk and psychobilly with an original sound all of their very own. You may scoff at the idea that their is a Celtic-Punk band out there that has an original sound…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS THE BEST OF 2017!

    Yes I know it only seems like five minutes since the last one but it’s that time of year again when we give you, for what it’s worth, our opinion on who made the best music in the celtic-punk scene over 2017. It’s been another outstanding year for the music that we all love and some…

  • GET IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT WITH THIS CHRISTMAS CELTIC PUNK TOP-TWENTY!

    It’s December so let your pint glass be half full for a change and get into the festive spirit with what started as a Top Ten but but soon became the London Celtic Punk’s Top Twenty of the best kick-arse Christmas Celtic-Punk tunes ever written and absolutely no surprises at #1. 20. THE PRIESTS FEATURING SHANE…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM- ‘Bring Me The Head Of John The Baptist’ (2017)

    Drinking Guinness from the Holy Grail! These lads are as Irish as they fecking come so check out the new album of mighty celtic-punk rock from The Templars of Doom coming out of Ulster county, New York. The Templars of Doom hail from the aptly named Ulster County in upstate New York and play punked-up…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS THE BEST OF 2016!

    Yes I know it only seems like five minutes since the last one but it’s that time of year again when we give you, for what it’s worth, our opinion on who made the best music in the celtic-punk scene over 2016. It’s been another outstanding year for the music that we all love and some…

  • CELEBRATING A CELTIC CHRISTMAS 2016. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THE LONDON CELTIC PUNKS FAMILY

    All the best for a happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year for us all… Every year we pick the best Christmas themed song we’ve heard to showcase in our end of year message and this year the runaway victors is from NYC’s The Narrowbacks. Starring Rigel Byrne as Santa Claus. Filmed by Tamara…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE NARROWBACKS- ‘Arrogance & Ignorance’ (2016)

    If Joe Strummer, Shane MacGowan and Bruce Springsteen survived a drinking session through the 5 boroughs, the hangover would be called The Narrowbacks. nar·row·back /ˈnæroʊˌbæk/ [nar-oh-bak] –noun Slang. 1. Disparaging. an Irish-American. 2. a person of slight build who is unfit for hard labour The Narrowbacks are from New York City and don’t they let…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: SISTERS OF MURPHY- ‘Working Stiffs Unite!’ (2016)

    Rochester New York State’s favorite celtic rock group sticking up for the working man and woman performing memorable self penned originals and the odd traditional cover! Pouring out of the sometimes sunny Rochester area of New York state, about 300 miles from NYC, comes the brand new album from one of the areas favourite sons The Sisters Of Murphy.…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: SOLAS- ‘All These Years’ (2016)

    Solas plant the flag for Irish-American music… and it’s the best dang Irish music in the entire world!  Its always been a bit fashionable for people in Ireland to look down their noses at those who find pride in their roots and especially Irish-Americans. A kind of horrible sneer that ranges from mocking the ‘paddy-whackery’ of…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: 1916- ‘Last Call For Heroes’ (2015)

    SHAMROCKABILLY! The hardest hitting Irish rock band this side of Dublin city! With the sun about to set on 2015 and the end of year ‘Best Of’ polls pretty much settled no-one in the London Celtic Punks camp expected another album worthy of the list to come along. Let alone one to come along that…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS OUR BEST OF 2015!

    One of the best things about doing this here blog-zine is the end of year ‘Best Of’s’. This is our chance to reward, for what it’s worth, and recommend those releases that tickled our collective fancies over the last twelve months. Where as in 2013 the Best Of’s were dominated by local bands and releases…

  • EP REVIEW: THE NARROWBACKS- ‘After Hours’ (2015)

    New York Irish music. nar·row·back /ˈnæroʊˌbæk/ [nar-oh-bak] –noun Slang. 1. Disparaging. an Irish-American. 2. a person of slight build who is unfit for hard labour I’ve had the chance to go into the history of the American Irish plenty of times and in a country built on immigration it is the Irish in particular that…

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