LONDON CELTIC PUNKS WEB-ZINE

  • THE LIFE OF GRAINNE O’MALLEY – THE IRISH PIRATE QUEEN

    Beginning a week of posts of pirates and shanties and of those who made their living on the ocean spanning centuries right up to the present day. We begin with the story of Ireland’s pirate queen Grainne Ni Mhaille. Legend tells us that when Grace O’Malley, the Irish Pirate Queen of Connaught and Queen Elizabeth…

  • EP REVIEW: PENNILESS TENANTS – ‘Lockdown Session’ (2020)

    Traditional Irish scally Punk! Penniless Tenants are a five-piece from Liverpool, playing traditional and Irish Folk music and probably the best Irish Music in Liverpool. No Folking About. The Irish community in England is supposedly shrinking I hear but only just a couple of weeks after we reviewed the debut release of Luton Irish band…

  • LET THE MUSIC KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH – PART THREE

    Welcome to the final installment of Let The Music Keep Your Spirits high. Over the last three Sundays Andy Nolan of the most popular and influential Irish band in England over the last 20 years – the Bible Code Sundays – has shared with us the history and meaning behind some of his songs. A…

  • LET THE MUSIC KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH – PART TWO

    Our short series on the songs of Andy Nolan continues today with another five of Andy’s masterpieces. As a past member of Shane MacGowan And The Popes and Spider Stacy’s Vendettas he has a great musical legacy but it’s as accordion player and songwriter for London Irish musical tour-de-force The Bible Code Sundays that Andy’s…

  • LET THE MUSIC KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH – PART ONE

    Andy Nolan is best known on these pages as the accordion player and songwriter for the London Irish musical tour-de-force The Bible Code Sundays and as an ex-member of Shane MacGowan And The Popes and Spider Stacy’s Vendettas but there’s a lot more to him than just being an expert accordionist. Andy is also a…

  • ALBUM REVIEW- QUINTESSENTIAL QUARANTUNES (2020)

    Six bands, three from Ireland and three London based. No longer able to play their trade due to government lockdowns either side of the Irish Sea have been virtually brought together by one man – Phil Parsons and one pub – Frostys Bar, Kenton to create a lockdown album like no other. With a mixture of…

  • 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 CRAICHEADS- ‘Greetings From Another Land’ (2018)

    One of the biggest pullers on the London Irish scene Celtic-folkers The Craicheads are back with an 4-track EP the follow up to their debut album and a taster for their new studio album due next year! There are two Irish communities living in London. The Irish and the London-Irish. The Craicheads are London-Irish through and…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: TIR NAN OG- ‘From The Gallows’ (2018)

    From The Gallows is the fourth album from German Celtic folk punk band Tir Nan Og. Released in January 2018 according to Marvey Mills it delivers an instant slab of authentic folk punk loveliness from the opening song to the very last drop of the fourteenth track. It is necessary, when reviewing an album, to…

  • 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…

  • 2017 REVIEW ROUND-UP’S PART THREE: THE CELTIC NATIONS- BIBLE CODE SUNDAYS, THE DECLINE!, BRUTUS’ DAUGHTERS, REAL McKENZIES, VINCE CAYO, THE BOTTLERS

    So welcome to 2018 and the first post of the year and the last of our round-ups from 2017. We simply could not keep up with the volume of releases we keep receiving so rather than completely neglect them here’s some much shorter reviews that will at least give you a taste of what they…

  • THE HISTORY OF CELTIC-ROCK MUSIC

    Today the 30492- London Celtic Punks web zine is four years old today so what better way to celebrate our birthday than to give you this small but perfectly formed potted history of Celtic-Rock. We have never just wanted to be a place that only reviews new records we want to celebrate everything that makes us…

  • 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…

  • EP REVIEW: BLACKWATER BANSHEE- ‘Blackwater Banshee’ (2016)

     A cracking new Irish band from Bristol in South-West England and with bands like this the celtic-punk scene is in safe hands! I came across Blackwater Banshee on Soundcloud a few weeks back but didn’t listen to any of their recordings till last week and what an eejit I was to wait so long. The five piece…

  • 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.…

  • FILM REVIEW: TOWNIES- IRISH MOB (2007)

    For any of you out there who haven’t seen Townies the short film by Mike O’Dea then here it is in all its original You Tube glory. Made back in 2007 it began production as a full movie but was forced to closed down after the Police busted them for filming a mob hit scene…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: JAY WARS AND THE HOWARD YOUTH- ‘Love In The Time Of Fear’ (2016)

    simple acoustic music. passion, anger, heart and a sense of humour and absolutely nothing at all like James Blunt Love In The Time of Fear is the second release from Jay Wars And The Howard Youth. Jay was the lead singer of the sadly missed Australian celtic-punk band Between The Wars who split up in 2012 after…

  • BIBLE CODE SUNDAYS CHARITY SINGLE ‘Something Inside So Strong’

    Charity Single Released with Ginger Melodeon Experience Music Collective for The Lymphoma Association. FREE DOWNLOAD!! All we ask is that you make a donation, any amount you like! Tracie O’Sullivan is a friend, she is one of the lucky ones and is the reason why The Bible Code Sundays have recorded this song. This is her story…

  • PREPARE YOUR LIVERS FOR THE WORSE LONDON! COMING SOON…

    Sorry if you don’t live in London but if you do you lucky souls are in for a cracking weekend from December 11th to the 13th! FRIDAY 11th DECEMBER 2015 IRISH MUSIC FOR PALESTINE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR ‘VOICE OF GAZA’ We are proud to announce a benefit gig in aid of the Palestinian charity ‘Voices…

  • ‘THE SPIRIT OF WALFRID’ CELTIC CHARITY COMPILATION ALBUM OUT NOW

    For Celtic Supporters By Celtic Supporters I tell you the Celtic Family never ceases to amaze me. While one bunch of supporters has come to the aid of a Celtic fan arrested unjustly in London recently (here) another has released this compilation album to help out several charities all close to the Celtic heart. The…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS OUR BEST OF 2014!

    TOP TWENTY CELTIC PUNK ALBUMS OF 2014 Last year our ‘Best Of’ list was completely dominated by bands from these shores but this time there’s a much more international flavour to 2014’s Best Album’s list. Again Irish influenced bands dominate but the absolute standout album for me was without a doubt Uncle Bard And The Dirty Bastards…

  • FILM REVIEW: TAX CITY (2013)

    written and produced by Andy Nolan directed by Tom Begley starring Jon Campling, Steve Collins, Mark Hutchinson, Noel ‘Razor’ Smith, Tony Barber and Emily Hall http://www.clanlondonmovie.com Tax City is a muscular drama directed by London based Irish-born Tom Begley and written and produced by Andy Nolan. Andy plays accordion in celtic-rockers The Bible Code Sundays…

  • INTERVIEW WITH BRENDAN FROM THE LAGAN

    Way back in 2009 I trotted off to a Neck gig down County Holloway way and, having finished my can and a roll-up, wandered into the venue only to catch the last couple of songs of the first band on. Well having been suitably impressed I set out to track them down and after a…

  • 30492-LONDON CELTIC PUNK’S TOP TWENTY CELTIC-PUNK ALBUM’s OF ALL TIME‏

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! Today we celebrate the blog’s first anniversary so, in a case of obvious self-indulgence, we thought we’d share with you our TOP TWENTY CELTIC-PUNK ALBUM’s OF ALL TIME. The last year has flown by and, even better, feedback for the site seems to have been universally good. As long we’re appreciated it’s…

  • ALBUM REVIEW: THE BUACHAILLS- ‘At Your Call’ (2014)

    the boys from the county Cork The Buachaills are a very busy band. Fresh from a London double-header weekend in February comes this their debut album ‘At Your Call’. Straight away you can hear some similarities with both The Lagan and The Bible Code Sundays. They have other things in common as both these bands…

  • FROM OPPRESSION TO CELEBRATION- THE POGUES TO THE DROPKICK MURPHYS AND CELTIC PUNK

    The history of all of the various celtic nations is one made up of oppression, intimidation and emigration. Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany (north west France), Asturias (north west Spain), Galicia (north west Spain) have all been for generations occupied by foreign countries who have tried everything to crush the culture, language…

  • LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS OUR BEST OF 2013!

    well here they are. after two solid weeks of harassing and cajoling people into getting their lists back we’ve totted them up and came up with this. for more information on each record/ band simply click on the number and you’ll be re-directed. Must say there’s no real surprises here except it seems we’re quite…

  • ‘THE LAGAN’S DEN’ PODCAST 18/10/2013

    Last week The Lagan began a free weekly series of podcasts where they drank beer and talked shite sorry…I mean talked about life in the band. They intend to have musical guests performing and first guest was Jay Stevens from the amazing Aussie celtic-punk band Between the Wars. Click on The Lagan logo below to hear the episode,…

  • INTERVIEW WITH JAY STEVENS FROM AUSTRALIAN BAND ‘BETWEEN THE WARS’

    When we heard that Jay Stevens from the fantastic Aussie celtic-folk-punk band BETWEEN THE WARS was coming over to these shores to play a few solo shows we jumped at the chance to do the London leg of his tour. so we thought we’d ask him some stuff so we did and he answered it all…

  • 30 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SECOND GENERATION IRISH

    by Robert Brennan The Irish are the largest and longest-established minority ethnic group originating outside Britain, but their difference is recognised only in the migrant generation. Unlike the second generations of ‘visible’ ethnic groups, children of Irish-born parents in Britain are assumed to be British because they are (mostly) ‘white’ and have no Irish accent. This…

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