Gurriers, Maverick Sabre among musicians planning to support next Kneecap court hearing
Referencing the stage where Kneecap played to a huge crowd at Glastonbury, an Instagram post by the account LoveMusicHateRacism announced they will be "bringing West Holts to Westminster," when Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh - known by his stage name Mo Chara - appears at the London court on 20 August.
The post on Thursday said British singer-songwriter Nadine Shah and Jelani Blackman would attend the hearing in a show of support along with a list of other "speakers and artists".
The musicians have repeatedly spoken out against the war in Gaza, with Kneecap walking on stage at a gig in London on Saturday night in front of a screen that read: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people".
Ó hAnnaidh and his bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh were cheered by hundreds of supporters when they arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court for his last court appearance in June.
After the brief hearing concluded, he exited the court building to a festival-like atmosphere, with fans waving flags, playing drums and one supporter setting off a smoke canister.
Thursday's Instagram post read: "Defend @kneecap32. Free Mo Chara. Drop the charges. Big up all the artists who will be there to support. Bringing West Holts to Westminster on Wed 20 August 9am."
Ó hAnnaidh was charged in May after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig in November last year.
The group was set to play the TRNSMT festival in the city this weekend, but their spot was axed following concerns raised by police.
Their set at Glastonbury followed Bob Vylan on the West Holts Stage, with both acts being investigated by Avon and Somerset Police for comments made on stage.
Gurriers also played at Glastonbury last month, with frontman Dan Hoff telling the crowd during their Woodsies set: "Free Palestine, unlike other bands, we know where we stand politically."
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The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
I just knew one day people would finally get Nick Drake, says legendary producer Joe Boyd
Drake died aged 26 in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants, never enjoying commercial success in his lifetime, never knowing how much he would be appreciated. TROUBLED SOUL I just knew one day people would finally get Nick Drake, says legendary producer Joe Boyd 'I REMEMBER the moment I first saw Nick. He was very tall – but kind of apologetically tall.' Legendary producer Joe Boyd is casting his mind back to January 1968, to the day 'very good-looking but very self-effacing' Nick Drake dropped a tape off at his London office. 5 Nick Drake died aged 26 in 1974, never enjoying commercial success in his lifetime Credit: Getty - Contributor 'He stooped a bit, like he was trying not to seem as tall as he was. Advertisement 'It was wintertime and there were ash stains on his overcoat. He handed me the tape and trundled off. 'My first encounter with Nick's music was, most likely, that same evening or possibly the following one.' Boyd, an American who became a central figure in the late Sixties British folk-rock boom, was 25 at the time. Drake was 19. He cut a striking figure — lanky with dark shoulder-length hair framing his boyish features. Advertisement Through his company, Witchseason Productions, Boyd came to helm stellar albums by Fairport Convention (with Sandy Denny), John Martyn, Shirley Collins and The Incredible String Band. But there was something indefinably mesmerising about those three songs passed to him by the quiet teenager who studied English Literature at Cambridge University. As Boyd switched on his 'little Wollensak reel-to-reel tape recorder', he was captivated by Drake's soft but sure tones, allied to his intricate fingerpicking guitar. 'I think the songs were I Was Made To Love Magic, Time Has Told Me and The Thoughts Of Mary Jane,' he says. 'From the first intro to the first song, I thought, 'Whoa, this is different'.' I'm speaking to Boyd to mark the release of a beautifully curated box set, The Making Of Five Leaves Left, a treasure trove of demos, outtakes and live recordings. Advertisement Rounding it off is the finished product, Drake's debut album for Chris Blackwell's fabled Island Records pink label. Bob Dylan biopic is an immaculate portrayal of the grumpy singer's rise to fame - shame his women feel like complete unknowns In 2025, the singer's status as one of Britain's most cherished songwriters is assured. A troubled soul, Drake died aged 26 in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants, never enjoying commercial success in his lifetime, never knowing how much he would be appreciated. But Boyd, now 83, had no doubts about the rare talent that he first encountered in 1968. He picks up the story again: 'Ashley Hutchings, the Fairport Convention bass player, saw Nick playing at The Roundhouse [in Camden Town, North London] and was very impressed. Advertisement 'He handed me a slip of paper with a phone number on it and said, 'I think you'd better call this guy, he's special'. 'So I called and Nick picked up the phone. I said, 'Do you have a tape I could hear?'. He said, 'Yes'.' Boyd still didn't hold out too much hope, as he explains: 'I was very much a blues and jazz buff. I also liked Indian music. 'White middle-class guys with guitars were never that interesting to me — Bob Dylan being the exception that proves the rule. 5 John Boyd holding The Making Of Five Leaves Left, a treasure trove of demos, outtakes and live recordings Advertisement 'But Nick was something else. He wasn't really a folk singer at all.' Boyd describes Drake as a 'chansonnier', a French term for a poet singer who performs their own compositions, often drawing on the themes of love and nature. He says: 'I'm always a bit bemused when I go into a record store — one of the few left — and see Nick filed under folk. He's unclassifiable and that's one of the reasons he endures.' To Boyd, Drake's enduring appeal is also helped 'by the fact that he didn't succeed in the Sixties'. 'He never became part of that decade's soundtrack in the way Donovan or [Pentangle guitarist and solo artist] Bert Jansch did. Advertisement 'So he was cut loose from the moorings of his era, to be grabbed by succeeding generations.' Drake was born on June 19, 1948, in Rangoon, Burma [now Myanmar], to engineer father Rodney and amateur singer mother Molly. His older sister Gabrielle became a successful screen actress. When Nick was three, the family moved to Far Leys, a house at Tanworth-in-Arden, Warks, and it was there that his parents encouraged him to learn piano and compose songs. I'm always a bit bemused when I go into a record store — one of the few left — and see Nick filed under folk. He's unclassifiable and that's one of the reasons he endures. Joe Boyd Having listened to the home recordings of Molly, Boyd gives her much credit for her son's singular approach. He says: 'When you hear the way she shaped her strange chords on the piano and her sense of harmony, it seems that it was reverberating in Nick's mind.' Advertisement When Drake gave him those three demos, recorded in his room at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, Boyd 'called the next day and said, 'Come on in, let's talk'.' During the ensuing meeting, Drake said: 'I'd like to make a record.' He was offered a management, publishing and production contract. Just as importantly, he had found a mentor in Joe Boyd. What you hear on the box set is the musical journey leading up to the release of Five Leaves Left in July 1969. The set was sanctioned by the Estate Of Nick Drake, run on behalf of his sister Gabrielle by Cally Callomon, but only after two remarkable tapes were unearthed. Advertisement His first session with Boyd at Sound Techniques studio in March 1968 — found on a mono listening reel squirrelled away more than 50 years ago by Beverley Martyn, a singer and the late John Martyn's ex-wife. A full reel recorded at Caius College by Drake's Cambridge acquaintance Paul de Rivaz. It had gathered dust in the bottom of a drawer for decades. Boyd says: 'I have never been a big enthusiast for these endless sets of demos and outtakes — so I was highly sceptical about this project. 'But when my wife and I were sent the files a few months ago, we sat down one evening and listened through all four discs. 'I was tremendously moved by Nick. You can picture the scene of him arriving for the first time at Sound Techniques. 'This is what he's been working for. He's got his record deal and here he is in the studio. I was stunned.' 5 Five Leaves Left was released in 1969 Advertisement In pristine sound quality, the first disc begins with Boyd saying, 'OK, here we go, whatever it is, take one.' Drake then sings the outtake followed by some of his best-loved songs — Time Has Told Me, Saturday Sun, Day Is Done among them. It's just man and guitar, recorded before musicians such as Pentangle's double bass player Danny Thompson and Fairport Convention's guitarist Richard Thompson (no relation) were drafted in. Boyd continues: 'The trigger for those recordings, that first day in the studio, was wanting our wonderful engineer John Wood to get a feel for Nick's sound. 'Nick was wide awake and on it. He was excited about being in a studio and he wanted to impress.' Advertisement All these years later, one song in particular caught Boyd's attention — Day Is Done. 'He takes it more slowly than the final version. This gives him time to add more nuance and the singing is so good.' Back then, as Five Leaves Left took shape, Boyd witnessed the sophisticated way Drake employed strings, oboe and flute. Inspired by subtle orchestrations on Leonard Cohen's debut album, Boyd had drafted in arranger Richard Hewson but it didn't work out. 'It was nice, but it wasn't Nick,' he affirms. Advertisement When Drake suggested his Cambridge friend Robert Kirby, a Baroque music scholar, everything fell into place. Boyd says: 'Nick had already been engaging with Robert about using a string quartet but had been hesitant about putting his ideas forward.' SUBTLE ORCHESTRATIONS The producer also recalls being 'fascinated by the lyrics — the work of a literate guy'. 'I don't want to sound elitist but Nick was well educated. British public school [Marlborough College] and he got into Cambridge. 'Gabrielle told me he didn't like the romantic poets much. But you feel that he's very aware of British poetry history.' Advertisement This is evident in the first lines of the opening song on Five Leaves Left — 'Time has told me/You're a rare, rare find/A troubled cure for a troubled mind.' 'When I think about Nick, I think about the painting, The Death Of Chatterton,' says Boyd. 'Chatterton was a young romantic British poet who died, I think, by suicide. You see him sprawled out across a bed.' I ask Boyd how aware he was of Drake's struggles with his mental health. 'It's a tricky question because I was aware that he was very shy,' he answers. 'Who knew what was going on with him and girls?' Boyd believes there was a time when Drake was better able to enjoy life's pleasures. Advertisement 'When you read of his adventures in the south of France and in Morocco, it seems he was more relaxed and joyful. 5 Drake at home with mother Molly and sister Gabrielle 'And when I went up to Cambridge to meet Nick and Robert Kirby before we did the first session, he was in a dorm. 'There were friends walking in and out of the room. There was a lot of life around him.' Boyd says things changed when 'Nick told me he wanted to leave Cambridge and move to London. Advertisement 'I agreed to give him a monthly stipend to help him survive. He rented a bedsit in Hampstead — you could do that in those days. 'Nick started smoking a lot of hashish and didn't seem to see many people. I definitely noticed a difference. 'He'd been at Marlborough, he'd been at Cambridge and suddenly he's on his own, smoking dope, practising the guitar, going out for a curry, coming back to the guitar some more. He became more and more isolated and closed off'. Boyd describes how Drake found live performance an almost unbearable challenge. He says: 'He had different tunings for every song, which took a long time. He didn't have jokes. So he'd lose his audience and get discouraged.' Advertisement 'It still haunts me that I left the UK' For Drake's next album, Bryter Layter, recorded in 1970 and released in 1971, Boyd remained in charge of production. Despite all the albums he's worked on, including REM's Fables Of The Reconstruction and Kate and Anna McGarrigle's classic debut, he lists Bryter Layter as a clear favourite. It bears the poetic masterpiece Northern Sky with its heartrending opening line – 'I never felt magic crazy as this.' Boyd says: 'I can drop the needle and relax, knowing that John Wood and I did the best we could.' However, he adds that it still 'haunts me that I left for a job with Warner Bros in California after that. I was very burnt out and didn't appreciate how much Nick may have been affected by my leaving'. Advertisement Drake responded to Boyd's departure by saying, 'The next record is just for guitar and voice, anyway'. Boyd continues: 'So I said, 'Well, you don't need me any more. You can do that with John Wood'.' When he was sent a test pressing of 1972's stripped-back Pink Moon, he recalls being 'slightly horrified'. 'I thought it would end Nick's chances of commercial success. It's ironic that it now sells more than his other two.' Then, roughly a year after leaving the UK, Boyd got a worried call from Drake's mum. 'Molly said she had urged Nick to see a psychiatrist because he had been struggling,' he says, with sadness, 'and that he had been prescribed antidepressants. Advertisement 'I know Nick was hesitant to take them. He felt people would judge him as crazy — a typically British response.' Boyd again uses the word 'haunting' when recalling the transatlantic phone call he made to Drake. 'I said, 'There's nothing shameful about taking medicine when you've got a problem'. I know Nick was hesitant to take them [antidepressants]. He felt people would judge him as crazy — a typically British response Joe Boyd 'But I think antidepressant dosages were way higher in those days than they became. 'Doctors didn't appreciate the rollercoaster effect — how you could get to a peak of elation and freedom, then suddenly plunge back into depression. Advertisement 'Who knows but it might have contributed to the feeling of despair Nick felt the night he took all those extra pills.' 5 Boyd says of Drake: 'He's unclassifiable and that's one of the reasons he endures' Drake died at home in Warwickshire during the early hours of November 25, 1974. As for Boyd, he made a lasting commitment to the singer who had such a profound effect on him. He says: 'When I left, I gave my company to Chris Blackwell because there were more debts than assets — and he agreed to take on the debts. 'But I said, 'I want it written in the contract that you cannot delete Nick Drake. Those records have to stay. Advertisement 'I just knew that one day people would get him.'
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
In Pics: Young Offenders stars reunite at special screening of new Irish film Christy
Young Offenders actors Chris Walley and Alex Murphy are as inseparable off-screen as their mischievous characters Jock and Conor. The pair reunited at a special screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin this week. Christy is the joyous debut feature from Cork director Brendan Canty. Alex Murphy and Chris Walley at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy The film is a heartwarming story of second chances, connection and finding your place in the world. It focuses on 17-year-old Christy who is at a crossroads in life. After being kicked out of his suburban foster home, he moves in with his estranged older brother Shane and his young family. Director Brendan Canty at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy As far as Shane is concerned this is a temporary arrangement, but Christy begins to feel at home on Cork's working-class Northside. As he makes friends and begins to let the community in, he also reconnects with his past through his seemingly more corrupting extended family, despite Shane's efforts to protect him. Danny Power at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy Shane wants something better for Christy at any cost – even if it means he has to push him away. As the brothers look to reconcile their turbulent past, their family and the community around them offer hope for Christy's future. Christy stars breakout talent Danny Power and Diarmuid Noyes. Diarmuid Noyes at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy It also features an Irish ensemble including Chris Walley, Alison Oliver, Emma Willis and Helen Behan. Emma Willis at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy The Kabin Studio, a Cork-based community arts collective known for its work in hip-hop and spoken word, make an appearance in Christy. Kabin Studio member Sophia McNamara performs ahead of the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy In 2024, The Kabin Crew's viral hit The Spark, recorded in collaboration with Lisdoonvarna Crew, amassed more than 1billion views. Actor Alex Murphy with Kabin Studio member Jamie Forde at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy Christy recently won Best Irish Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh. Director Brendan Canty and actor Danny Power at the special preview screening of Christy at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy Christy opens in cinemas across Ireland on August 29.
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
5 Irish stars who did not sit the Leaving Cert
The Leaving Certificate class of 2025 are set to receive their much anticipated results tomorrow (Friday), with more than 60,000 students sitting the exams before the summer. Secondary schools generally open from 9am on the day, with students gathering for what is likely the final event in their second level education. It can be daunting too, and many will be feeling the pressure of what to do next or stressed if they don't get the points they need. Students will be told a number of times in the lead up to their results that the piece of paper doesn't define them — here are five Irish celebrities that didn't sit their Leaving Cert, and here's how they are getting on now… Pic: Lisa O'Connor/Shutterstock for SAG There is a realm of different avenues people can go down following their Leaving Certificate results — apprenticeships, gap years, college, or straight into the work force. Students will be told a number of times in the lead up to their results that the piece of paper doesn't define them — here are five Irish celebrities who didn't sit their Leaving Cert, and here's how they are getting on now… One Direction star turned solo artist Niall Horan left school at the age of 16 years old, and auditioned for the seventh series of The X Factor. The Mullingar man received mixed reviews but progressed onto the next stages, and following his elimination was then put into a group alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and the late Liam Payne. One Direction went on to have major success before their split in January 2016, with all the lads pursuing their own solo careers. Niall Horan and Liam Payne. Pic: Mark Davis/DCNYRE2016/Getty Images for dcp Earlier this year, revealed that Horan had quadrupled his income in the past 12 months, with the latest accounts for his solo music ventures netting a profit of €3,373,039. In March 2024, Niall bought a stunning country pad in his home county of Westmeath, with the singer mortgage-free on the property which he paid €420,000 for. Journalist Amanda Brunker never sat the Leaving Cert, and previously told the Irish Independent she has 'done okay in life' and that she has. Amanda's career started out when she won Miss Ireland in 1991, at the age of just 17 years old. From there she pursued a career in modelling with a touch of acting — appearing in Glenroe once upon a time — as well as music. The now 51-year-old appeared on TV shows including Ireland's Got Talent as well as Celebrity Banisteoir. She is also a columnist for the Sunday World. Amanda Brunker. Pic: Collins Courts Businessman Bill Cullen is a true advocate that the Leaving Certificate should not define you, as The Apprentice star finished up at school at the age of 13, to work on the markets, selling fruit and vegetables. From there, Bill went on to work as a messenger boy for a car dealership before he was appointed director general nine years later in 1965. In 1977 he set up his own company, Fairlane Motor Company, which became the biggest Ford dealership in the country. Businessman Bill Cullen is a true definition that the Leaving Certificate should not define you, as The Apprentice star finished up at school at the age of 13 years old to work on the markets, selling fruit and vegetables. Pic: Collins As well as being in the motor trade business, Bill dipped his toes into hospitality and took over Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney in 1990, with the hotel going into receivership in 2013. At the height of his wealth, Mr Cullen was worth an estimated €34m, unfortunately things took a turn when the business man owed €10m, with his wife Jackie Lavin previously telling RSVP the banks 'crushed us.' Similar to Niall Horan, Ronan Keating dropped out of school to pursue a career in music, with Ronan leaving school six months before the Leaving Cert exams to join Boyzone. The Dublin native made a promise to his mother that if the music failed, he would go back to sit his exams, but there was no fear as more than 30 years later his music career is still going strong, albeit solo. The band has been inactive since 2019, and it doesn't look like there are plans for a reunion, but Ronan has been further solidifying his name as a music guru with a number of appearances across The Voice franchise. Having been on The Voice Kids UK and The Voice of Germany, earlier this year it was revealed Ronan would be a judge on the new season of The Voice Australia. Pic: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock Having been on The Voice Kids UK and The Voice of Germany, earlier this year it was revealed Ronan would be a judge on the new season of The Voice Australia. Last year, it was revealed that musician was potentially adding property investor to his repertoire following a €1.7m investment as an equal shareholder in a UK registered real estate firm. Academy Award nominated actor Colin Farrell never sat the Leaving Cert, having been booted out of secondary school just months before his final exams. Despite this, he managed to get a place in the Gaiety School of Acting before he began getting castings, with his break happening when he got a role in Ballykissangel. The Dubliner is doing pretty well for himself, for sure, having given a spectacular performance in HBO's The Penguin earlier this year. Ballad of a Small Player is a new thriller hitting Netflix which sees the 49-year-old playing a troubled gambler alongside Tilda Swinton and Fala Chen. The first trailer for the Netflix film released on Tuesday and fans are already getting excited. So, whatever results you get in the Leaving Cert, remember that it's very true that the exam itself and the results you receive do not define you, and there are other ways to make a success of your life, just like the examples above.
