Uncharted with Ray Goggins review: Kneecap show their soulful side as they trudge through the Arctic snow
Kneecap
have undeniably been in hot water in the past several weeks. But before the firestorm, they spent several days in the Arctic Circle in the company of former Army ranger and survival expert Ray Goggins and their exploits are now documented in part two of Uncharted With Ray Goggins (
RTÉ
One, Wednesday).
Those tuning in expecting further fireworks will be disappointed. The trio of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh make for largely thoughtful company, though there are occasionally flashes of cheeky chap-dom. They get on well with Goggins – a literal sgt major type and stickler for military discipline, as they wend their way across Finland to the tri-border marker where Finland, Norway and Sweden intersect.
But if the episode has a deeper message, it is perhaps to touch on the distance that can still exist between people from the two sides of the island. They don't seem impressed that Goggins is a decorated ranger. 'I hear he was in the Irish Army . . . they basically do f**k all,' quips one – a jarring line considering the many sacrifices made by the Irish Army cross the decades.
On the other hand, they speak fluent Irish while Goggins does not, and their passion for the country's ancient oral traditions is evoked wonderfully when they meet an indigenous Finish Sámi singer and perform the sean-nós, Amhrán Na Scadán.
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Kneecap's Naoise Ó Cairealláin in the Arctic. Photograph: RTÉ
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Uncharted with Ray Goggins review: Leo Varadkar has to get halfway up a mountain with Lyra before he lets his guard down
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The actual adventure elements of the instalment are more disposable – there's lots of trudging through the snow and digging sheltering holes as the sun goes down. There's also a great deal of swearing, and the show could have been done without Goggins, the responsible adult in the scenario, dropping an f-bomb – who is he trying to impress?
Carrying on from
where he left off last week during his exploits with Leo Varadkar and Lyra
, he gets straight to the point when Kneecap arrive on snowmobiles. 'Welcome to the Arctic, fellas . . . If you get your s**t wrong you're going to suffer. If you get your s**t badly wrong, you're in trouble.'
Off they set on a three-day trek where indignities include trying to shuffle up a hill in sub-zero temperatures and using an outdoor toilet in the middle of a snowstorm. 'You don't want your arse to stick to the toilet seat. It was an experience,' protests JJ.
Kneecap's antics on stage have created the impression that they're born rabble-rousers. However, anyone who has seen their quasi-autobiographical movie or actually attended one of their gigs can tell you that they have a thoughtful and soulful side too, and this comes through as they talk in Irish and speak about how, in their estimation, British rule in the North has been bad for both communities. But then they start banging on about wanting to retain the NHS – suggesting they have bought into the exceptionalist British myth that their public healthcare system is the best in the world.
Haters will be underwhelmed by Kneecap's entry into survival-based fly-on-the-wall television. They come across as largely reflective, occasionally a bit gobby and annoying. But if this frosty serving of reality TV ultimately achieves anything, is it to show that a band widely caricatured as addicted to controversy have no objection to chilling out in the right circumstances.
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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT festival amid police 'safety concerns'
Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT festival in Scotland amid concerns raised by police over safety. The Belfast rap trio have scheduled a replacement gig at an O2 Academy in July, the band said. They were due to perform at the festival on July 11 but organisers said the band would not be part of the line-up after concerns were expressed by police about safety at the event. Police Scotland said any decision on the line-up is for TRNSMT organisers, and that no prior consultation with the force was made before acts were booked. Posting on X, the band said: "To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry … it is out of our hands. "Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We've played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will. To try to make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July 8th." They also quoted a statement from TRNSMT, which a festival spokeswoman confirmed, saying: "Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday, 11 July. "We thank fans for their understanding." A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Any decision on the line up at TRNSMT is for the organisers and there was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. "Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. "We have also passed on information from the public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival." In April, First Minister John Swinney had called for the organiser of the July festival to reconsider the group performing, following footage emerging that allegedly showed a member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." Earlier this month, Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged under the name Liam O'Hanna by the Metropolitan Police with a terror offence over the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig in November last year. The group, also made up of Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, apologised last month to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been "exploited and weaponised". They also said they have "never supported" Hamas or Hezbollah, both of which are banned in the UK. Following the TRNSMT performance being axed, the Gloucestershire festival 2000trees wrote on X: "After loads of speculation and numerous requests from the press of late, we are happy to confirm that YES! @KNEECAPCEOL are still headlining the Thursday at 2000trees this July."
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Kneecap gig at Glasgow's TRNSMT festival cancelled over police ‘safety concerns'
The Belfast rap trio have scheduled a replacement gig at an O2 Academy in July, the band said. They were due to perform at the festival on July 11 but organisers said the band would not be part of the line-up after concerns were expressed by police about safety at the event. Police Scotland said any decision on the line-up is for TRNSMT organisers, and that no prior consultation with the force was made before acts were booked. Posting on X, the band said: 'To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry … it is out of our hands. 'Glasgow has always been a huge city for us. We've played there many many times, with no issues – ever. Make of that what you will. To try to make up for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July 8th.' We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content They also quoted a statement from TRNSMT, which a festival spokeswoman confirmed, saying: 'Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap will no longer perform at TRNSMT on Friday, 11 July. 'We thank fans for their understanding.' A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Any decision on the line up at TRNSMT is for the organisers and there was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. 'Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. 'We have also passed on information from the public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival.' In April, Scottish first minister John Swinney had called for the organiser of the July festival to reconsider the group performing, following footage emerging that allegedly showed a member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Earlier this month, Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged under the name Liam O'Hanna by the Metropolitan Police with a terror offence over the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig in November last year. The group, also made up of Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, apologised last month to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. They also said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, both of which are banned in the UK. Following the TRNSMT performance being axed, the Gloucestershire festival 2000trees wrote on X: 'After loads of speculation and numerous requests from the press of late, we are happy to confirm that YES! @KNEECAPCEOL are still headlining the Thursday at 2000trees this July.' Several of the band's appearances in the UK and Europe have been cancelled in the wake of their calling out of Israel's ongoing onslaught in Gaza as genocide, as well as their reported on-stage comments about MPs. However, many venues have stood by the group and last week they headlined London's Wide Awake festival and are still set to play Glastonbury later this summer despite calls from some quarters for their appearance to be axed.
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
Kneecap facing US travel ban if Mo Chara is convicted of terror charge
Kneecap member Mo Chara is due at Westminster Magistrates Court on June 18. If convicted, he will automatically be barred from entering the States BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JUNE 2: (L-R) Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí and Móglaí Bap of, Irish rap group, Kneecap pose for a portrait shoot outside the Hawthorn Pub in West Belfast on June 2, 2024 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by) BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - MAY 23: A message supporting Kneecap can be seen on Belfast's Black Mountain showing the words 'Kneecap Abu' which translates to "Up Kneecap" or "Kneecap Forever" in white lettering on May 23, 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The signage comes after a member of the Irish language hip-hop group Kneecap, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah after an incident on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London. Mr Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 18 June.. (Photo by) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 09: (L-R) Director Rich Peppiatt, and Móglaí Bap, Dj Provaí, Mo Chara of Kneecap and Producer Trevor Birney attend the "Kneecap" Premiere during the 2024 Tribeca Festival at Village East Cinema on June 09, 2024 in New York City. (Photo byfor Tribeca Festival) Kneecap are facing a travel ban in the US if Mo Chara is convicted under anti-terrorism legislation, the Sunday World has learned. The band is still scheduled to play a series of gigs across North America in October, with a number of them already sold out. The trio are due to play New York, Boston, Minneapolis Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington with other gigs scheduled for Kentucky, Seattle and San Francisco. They are also due at a number of sell-out gigs in Canada – all of which are still being advertised despite controversy surrounding the London Met's charging of Ó hAnnaidh for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed Lebanese organisation Hezbollah at a concert in London last November. He is due at Westminster Magistrates Court on June 18. If convicted, he will automatically be barred from entering the States. Industry sources say they are 'facing an onslaught'' from political leaders and from 'powerful elements' within the music industry determined to silence them. Graffitti in support of Kneecap appeared on walls in West Belfast. 'The boys will not stay quiet, they are not going away,' said our source, 'in many ways they have become a cypher for something much bigger than them, they are on the right side of history.' The Sunday World understands the band's appearance at Glastonbury at the end of June is not currently under threat despite political pressure on the organisers. And they have a whole summer planned of festival appearances across Europe, the first of which was the Wide Awake Festival in south London on Friday where 20,000 fans filled Brockwell Park in Brixton. The Sunday World understands representatives from Glastonbury and other summer festivals were at Friday's show. The band has the backing of many musicians – Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher among them, while Sir Elton John has lauded them and on Friday, Sir Rod Stewart was seen in the wings watching the Kneecap set. Last night award-winning film-maker Trevor Birney, who made a Bafta-winning biopic of the band, said the group was now at the forefront of a global awakening to what's happening in Gaza. 'Kneecap are now cast in that global story. It's not where they wanted or intended to be, but they are shining a light on what is happening in Gaza at a time when political leaders around the world don't want to talk about it,' he said. 'They are speaking for young people around the world, telling them this is genocide. They have transcended the established political order.' He said their message came at a time when Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg were shutting down free speech on social media, and mainstream media was increasingly restricted. 'Public spaces for people to be informed are getting smaller,' he said. 'Soon the only place to get the truth across is from the stage.' He said there was more than enough material for a second Kneecap movie, but that is some way off. It is understood the band no longer hold valid visas following their controversial appearance at the Coachella festival in California in April. They used their gig in the Californian desert to highlight the genocide in Palestine. With neon signs proclaiming 'f**k Israel'' thousands of fans chanted 'Free Free Palestine.' The band has refused to step back from despite attempts to have them cancelled. A number of festivals in Europe have been cancelled but they are due to play events in Denmark, Netherlands and the Czech Republic before returning at the of June for a sell-out concert in Dublin. Then comes Glastonbury on June 28. Festival organisers have come under pressure from politicians and ministers to drop the Belfast rappers from the line-up. They are then due to play in front of 40,000 fans at Belfast's Boucher Playing Fields where they will support Dublin's Fontaines DC at the end of August. Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara. Photo: Lorne Thomson/Redferns By then they will have also played in Greece, Scandanavia, Belgium, France and the UK. After a surprise gig at the 100 Club in London on Wednesday following Mo Chara's arrest, they took to the stage on Friday in from of 20,000 fans at the Wide Awake Festival in south London. Mo Chara told the crowd the authorities were 'trying to silence us' before Glastonbury and urged fans not to be 'on the wrong side of history'. 'I know we're out, we're enjoying ourselves and we're trying to listen to some tunes at a festival... believe me lads, I wish I didn't have to do this,' he said. 'Let's remember how lucky we are to be in a field with our friends and not being bombed from the sky,' Mo Chara said. He said the US administration had been embarrassed to see thousands of Americans chanting 'Free Palestine', describing Glastonbury as the UK's Coachella. An estimated 54,000 people including 16,500 children have died in Israel's bombing campaign launched in the wake of Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 people being taken hostage. Organisers of Friday's Brixton event confirmed in a statement earlier this month that the gig would go ahead after they had held 'positive discussions with key stakeholders'. 'Wide Awake Festival has a proud history of supporting the alternative music scene and we look forward to staging another unforgettable event showcasing the very best emerging and established talent,' they said. But other Kneecap gigs have been cancelled including at the Eden Project in Cornwall and Plymouth Pavilions.
