“The language that once survived in whispers now thrives in classrooms, murals, and music”
Violins and acoustic guitars are the typical sounds that come to mind when discussing traditional Irish music however this traditional perspective has shifted to trap beats and rap verses in the year 2026.
The modernisation of the language through music is something that has taken the industry by storm. And the global phenomena of West Belfast and Derry trio Kneecap are at the very heart of it.
Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próv aí are using Irish and English, humour and hard-hitting lyrics to drive a political message ranging from language rights and media representation to working class youth culture and stereotyping.
Mo Chara, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, and Naoise Ó Cairealláin’s music has resonated with the youth with hard-hitting influential topics taking priority in their lyricism.
And whether you think they are saints or sinners the group have left in a cultural legacy after signing with Heavenly Recordings in 2023. A Heavenly Recordings representative said: “So working with Kneecap has been completely different to working with any of our other artists.
“Obviously they’re political and the’re very upfront in what they think and what they do. They’re very creative in what they do. It makes campaigns a lot more interesting. It makes them different to the kind of standard rollout of something.
“At its core, Heavenly Recordings has always been a political label. Back in 1990, Heavenly were the, first label to sign the Manic Street Preachers, they were an anti-capitalist band known for supporting the labour party at a time when left-leaning leadership was dictating. Being signed to a label that wouldn’t censor their political stance was extremely important to Kneecap, as if there is one thing kneecap are not, it is censored.
“So, for them it is a priority to be signed to a record label that allows them to be unapologetically themselves and express their distaste for political injustice.”
Kneecap released their first single C.E.A.R.T.A in the winter of 2017, the song controversially called out anti-police narratives throughout the debut single. The song blends Irish street slang with a hip -hop beat. The modernisation of the language through the trio’s unique style made for a shift in language representation, as now it was not just being showcased through old history books, but it is now being represented in the form of modern media on a global scale, by a group of West Belfast young men.
The group have even created their own words in the language to ensure they could fluently express themselves in the modern day. A lot of kneecaps lyrics revolve around the use of party drugs, with Irish being an older Celtic language they often found themselves at dead ends when trying to depict party scenes in their native tongue.
They solved this issue by work using words that are similar for example, capaillin’ which means small horse instead of the word ketamine as it does not exist in direct Irish translation. These small details are what make kneecap influential in the modern language as they are pushing boundaries and modernising the use of Gaelige.
Prominent Irish teacher Maighréad Ní Chonghaile explains the process: “Their work challenges outdated stereotypes that Irish is a ‘dead’ or purely academic language and helps young people see it as something they can engage with confidently and creatively.”
Belfast City Councillor and Kneecap fan Eamonn McLaughlin also addressed the rise of the trio: “Kneecap are one of the most important cultural forces in recent years. I listen to their music and saw the film! They make the language feel bold, modern and exciting.
“Their influence has clearly encouraged young people to learn Irish, boosted interest at GCSE level, and brought Gaeilge into mainstream pop culture. They’ve made the language accessible – and cool.”
Kneecap’s influence on Belfast’s cultural relationship does not go unnoticed, murals and graffiti are displayed across town, confidently expressing the city’s love for the trio as they strive to normalize and actively modernise the language.
The pride in which their hometown projects is loud, however that does not mean their art has stayed confined within Belfast. Even though they tackle community wide topics while rapping in their native tongue the language and topics transcend the linguistic and cultural barriers and that is what sets the trio apart.
The Heavenly Recordings representative added: “We’ve witnessed them play a first on main stage festival slot to thousands of people, headline a hometown show in Belfast to a sea of 10,000, and perform in a packed-out sweaty basement at The Social in London to friends and family — who needed no persuading to turn out in force. Their name is known on both sides of the Irish Sea and beyond, Kneecap fill what was once a gaping Irish language rap-shaped void in our roster, and we can’t wait to share their spark with the world.”
And it was a good thing they didn’t buckle as Kneecaps 60-minute set attracted tens of thousands of ticket holders last summer.
Lead vocalist Mo Chara took to the stage and stated, “Us three have no right to be on this stage in front of this many people, rapping predominantly in a language that even people at home don’t even speak.”
Kneecap further detail Belfast’s relationship with the language, throughout their 2014 comedy-drama film. The film did exceptionally well and as a result was nominated for a range of awards throughout the award season. Due to the success the movie went on to win seven awards including a BAFTA.
Sean Mac Dermott stated “The language that once survived in whispers now thrives in classrooms, murals, and music. What we are witnessing in West Belfast is more than linguistic growth; it is the reclaiming of identity. The resurgence of Irish demonstrates that culture cannot be erased — it adapts, endures, and ultimately reasserts itself.”
When asked about what is next for Kneecap, Heavenly Recordings highlighted the roll out of their new album ‘Fenian’ which dropped on April 24. A rep said: “Their first album Fine Art is not necessarily an album that you would listen to at home, Fenian is a bit more like that and a bit more serious in tone.”
With language the theme – the final word goes to Mo-Chara who, when asked about the renaissance of Irish throughout Ireland, told me: “I think the resurgence has given Ireland a breath of fresh air.
“When you lose a language you lose a understanding of the land, your history and yourself.”
Fenians is available for pre order.
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