Belfast shopkeepers sing praises of Kneecap as locals lap up rap trio's merch
The Sunday World visited several shops on the Falls Road and Andersonstown this week and saw shelves full of Kneecap merchandise
Hugh and the Kneecap chocolate for sale (above) and the Daly family from Sheffield (below)
Anything to do with the trio is flying off the shelves in west Belfast
Rap trio Kneecap's support for Palestine has seen their profile rise rapidly
Kneecap have taken the world of music by storm – and now west Belfast shopkeepers are also singing their praises.
The rappers have become so popular on the Falls Road that kids aren't only snapping up their famous tricolour balaclavas, but are tucking into Kneecap-themed sweets and chocolate!
The Sunday World visited several shops on the Falls Road and Andersonstown this week and saw shelves full of Kneecap merchandise.
It comes as the group were thrust into the headlines after band member Mo Chara was charged by UK anti-terror cops with waving a Hezbollah flag at a London concert. He is to appear in court in 17 days.
Back in nationalist west Belfast, the band's hallmark green, white and orange balaclava is now a must-have fashion accessory for many youngsters. We even came across a boy walking home from school with his parents who was wearing one!
'They are literally flying out the door. And as the song says, 'We just can't get enough',' a Falls Road retailer told us this week.
Anything to do with the trio is flying off the shelves in west Belfast
She added: 'This is a phenomenon. It's like Riverdance all over again. The tricolour balaclava is the most popular thing to hit Belfast since sliced bread!'
But it's not just the colourful woolie hats which are notching up big sales figures in the west these days – it's literally anything at all connected to Kneecap, we have learned.
Shops on the Falls are coming down with Kneecap merchandise. Bags of jelly and liquorice sweets are selling like hot cakes. And Kneecap bars of chocolate with bilingual wrapping are proving popular with kids.
And an elderly lady in the same shop said: 'To tell you the truth, I had never heard of Kneecap until two weeks ago. But now it seems their merchandise is getting product placement everywhere you go. Good luck to them.'
And the band received the full backing of the Daly family from Sheffield, who were visiting Belfast on holiday. Mum Jo Daly said she firmly believed Kneecap was being scapegoated over the band's stance on Gaza and support for the Palestinian cause.
'It appears to be a concerted campaign to damage the band's popularity. But as everyone can see it's had the opposite effect here,' Jo said.
Rapping in Irish and English, Kneecap has been credited with creating a renewed interest among young people in learning Irish.
Hugh and the Kneecap chocolate for sale (above) and the Daly family from Sheffield (below)
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Formed six years ago, they are made up of Belfast pair Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap) and Derry's JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí).
It was their support of the Palestinian cause at top US festival Coachella that brought them global attention – and the police decision to press charges.
This week Kneecap announced that their performance at the Glasgow festival TRNSMT would not go ahead due to police concerns.
But to console fans, they announced a gig at a new venue in the city and it sold-out in 80 seconds.
Rap trio Kneecap's support for Palestine has seen their profile rise rapidly
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