Fáilte!: Kneecap and Political Activism Through Music

Art by Christian Branch

By Fiona Fahey

On September 26, a London court threw out a terror-related charge against a member of the Irish punk-rap group, Kneecap. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a single count of terrorism after London’s Metropolitan Police claimed that he displayed the flag of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah during a November 2024 concert. In February 2019, the UK classified Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and illegalized any open support for the group. Ó hAnnaidh staunchly denied the claim and instead accused British courts and critics of staging attempts to silence the band’s vehement support of the Palestinian people. This accusation not only emphasized the difference in political opinion between Irish and English governments in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also spoke to a broader theory of media control around the topic. As Ó hAnnaidh vows that he and Kneecap will continue to use their growing platform to speak out against the ongoing war in Gaza, fans and music critics alike have begun to wonder about the landscape of political activism within the modern music scene. 

In the opening lines of the band’s Spotify biography, Kneecap describe themselves as a cultural phenomenon. Hailing from the vibrant and cultural city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, the lively trio of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap), and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí) formed the band in 2017 in an attempt to blend the Irish language with mainstream music and culture. “The only way that Irish history and mythology was passed down was orally,” Ó Cairealláin told Crack Magazine last year. “I think that’s why it’s important for us to have that intertwined with our music.” Their songs deal with topics such as the working-class Belfast lifestyle, Irish republicanism, and a desire for a unified Ireland. In the eight years since their formation, Kneecap have seen great success through hits like “H.O.O.D” and “Guilty Conscience,” and have even starred in a self-titled 2024 film about their rise to prominence. 

The band has never been one to shy away from political conversation, and they commonly use their music to reflect on the centuries-long conflict between Ireland and England. They have received substantial backlash from government officials for their political statements and were even banned from entering both Hungary and Canada. In recent years, as the tensions in Gaza have risen to new heights, Kneecap have made it their mission to vocalize their support for Palestine at every concert, promotional event, and award show they attend. The band claims that their unwavering advocacy for the Palestinian people goes hand-in-hand with their Irish identity and history. “Eight-hundred years of colonialism, it obviously does things to people up to the point where I don’t think the Irish people are willing to stand on the sidelines any more,” Ó hAnnaidh told The Guardian. “The Irish people aren’t willing to let something like a genocide pass by without comment.” 

The relationship between Ireland and Palestine stems from a shared experience in colonialism, control, and a search for independence. In 1980, Ireland became the first member of the European Union to promote the establishment of a Palestinian free state. Throughout the following decades, Irish officials have met with leaders of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority and have established a Palestinian Embassy in Dublin. In December 2024, the Irish government announced that it would be joining South Africa’s genocidal case against Israel. 

When the terrorism charge was initially brought against Ó hAnnaidh in May 2025, he immediately viewed it as a calculated move by UK officials and media outlets. “We do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” the Kneecap trio explained in a statement on X. They went on to label the accusation a fragment of a larger “smear campaign” by the British and pledged to continue to spread a message of  “love, inclusion, and hope.” After the charge was thrown out by London Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, revealed that she shared Ó hAnnaidh’s sentiment, saying in a statement on X that the whole ordeal was “part of a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.” 

The conversation around media control in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has grown over the last couple of years. Carefully worded headlines and simplified descriptions of events have dominated global news sources. Social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, have been known to remove content of users who take a pro-Palestinian stance. In a 2023 study conducted by the Human Rights Watch, researchers found that tech giant Meta took down nearly 1,050 posts that promoted Palestinian liberation and brought awareness to the ongoing war in Gaza. Some journalists believe that in order to relieve the risk of this media censorship, news outlets need to take initiative and oppose traditional Western media methods. 

As Ó hAnnaidh dusts off his shoulders and plans to bring legal retribution of his own to the British state’s front steps, the war in Gaza continues. On October 10 of this year, Israel agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire deal, but on October 19, it broke the agreement and launched air strikes across Gaza, killing 44 people. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the strikes came as a result of a breach of the ceasefire by Hamas, who they said fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward Israeli troops in Rafah, killing two soldiers. 

In a short speech outside of London’s Woolwich Crown Court, following the dismissal of his charge, Ó hAnnaidh spoke of his steadfast commitment to challenging a system that he believes is actively attempting to limit free speech. “We will not be silent,” he proclaimed. “We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. Today we have.” This belief is not one that is exclusive to the UK, as a survey conducted by the Freedom Forum concluded that 65% of Americans are afraid to speak freely due to potential resistance from fellow citizens and media outlets. In any case, Ó hAnnaidh’s charge and subsequent opinions on its introduction shine a light on an ever-changing political world that some people believe to be riddled with fear, pressure, and unavoidable biases. As global conflicts persist, a desire for clear, inclusive, and trustworthy reporting presses on.

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Fiona is a soon-to-be junior and native New Yorker who is majoring in Communications and Media Studies. Her dream is to work in a busy newsroom in the heart of Manhattan. She spends her spare time filling her ears with Irish music, showing her family members terrible films, and hanging around the five boroughs with her friends.