‘Fenian’: Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap return with much more than provocation

In Euronews Culture’s review of the film Kneecap, the award-winning biopic about the rise to fame of the Belfast rap trio, we called the comedy “fun, raucous and heartfelt”.

The same could be said about their new album, ‘Fenian’ – but we’d add ‘scathing’, 'layered', and ‘very foul-mouthed'.

Indeed, if Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street tops the non-documentary feature film list for the most uses of the word ‘fuck’, then ‘Fenian’ may well be the main contender for the album with the most ‘cunt’s.

Before we get into all that, a quick recap.

For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure, Kneecap are two MCs, Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara, and one MC, DJ Próvái. The combine Gaelic Irish with English, balaclava-wearing satire with socially conscious lyrics, and plenty of drug and sex references.

The band became an underground hit and made a name for themselves as one of the most controversial acts since the Sex Pistols. Many have accused them of flirting with violent imagery and IRA slogans. Naomi Long, the minister of justice for Northern Ireland, even accused them of fueling sectarian tensions at one point.

Their dominance on the worldwide cultural scene shifted into gear with the release of their second album, 2024’s funny, unruly and engaged ‘Fine Art’. That same year, Rich Peppiatt’s biopic shot them further to international fame.

Frustratingly, what really grabbed headlines were Kneecap's legal woes.

Charges against Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), predicated on claims that he waved a Hezbollah flag onstage, dominated international headlines. The charges were dismissed by a judge last year, and the UK government lost its appeal.

“This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public and never about terrorism... it was always about Palestine,” the rapper declared.

It’s hardly surprising that their recent political mishaps are present on ‘Fenian’, the anti-imperialist trio’s first album since the highly publicised battle over terrorism charges. The band continue to proudly show their support of Palestine, call out Keir Starmer’s government and the genocide in Gaza, and denounce the complicity of those who “history will remember”.

Most exciting of all, though? They prove once more that they’re so more than just controversy magnets. Musically speaking, and regardless of a listener’s political views, ‘Fenian’ is one of the most adventurous and finest albums of 2026, as it manages to tick every box.

Merging raw political outrage with engrossing beats. Check.

Matching righteous anger with incredibly catchy hooks. Check.

Exploring the space where old-school hip-hop flows, woozy trip-hop élans, bursts of acid house and entertaining punchlines join forces. Check.

Not only is it a step up from ‘Fine Art’; it’s a statement of intent. Dismiss Kneecap as merely agitators at your foolishness.

From the surprisingly trippy and synthy opener 'Éire go Deo', the more lively 'Smugglers & Scholars', to the 90s rave sounds of 'Big Bad Mo' and the Prodigy-echoing 'Headcase', 'Fenian' is a blast to listen to and boasts some powerful penmanship. (For those who pick up a physical copy of the LP, the lyrics are handily translated into English when needs be.)

Standouts include the biting 'Liars Tale' (“Fuck Keir Starmer / Netanyahu’s bitch and genocide armer / Better off as compost for farmers ... You’re just a Tory, dressed in Labour clothing / Never seen a cunt so boring / With a resting face of loathing”); ‘Palestine’, featuring Ramallah-based rapper Fawzi, which deals with the solidarity of the Irish for those on the West Bank; and the captivating ‘Carnival’, which chronicles Mo Chara’s trial and exposes their contempt for the current UK justice system (“I’m not the first Irishman in this room / Who was on trial on trumped up lies and charges / This started at Coachella / Don’t speak about Palestine, fella...”).

The track ‘An Ra’ is also a triumph – a denunciation of British rule in Ireland which playfully lists the “good shit” they have given “us savages”, from “BBC paedo rings”, “UKIP”, “Lord Mountbatten Prince Ársa Andrew” all the way to “Jimmy Savile” and “Britain’s Got Talent”.

“And I’d be lost without Britain’s Got Talent.”

One bum note here – the rap sheet includes “HP Sauce”.

Now, there’s every reason to be annoyed, but can we keep the brown sauce out of it? Granted, it was named after London’s Houses of Parliament and it is another British icon to demolish. However - and the staunchly Eurosceptic UKIP won’t like this - the gloriously versatile accompaniment to sausages and bacon sandwiches is now made by Heinz in the Netherlands... So much for Rule Britania. And maybe that’s the point.

'Fenian' closes on an emotional note, a track that’s the closest thing Kneecap have come to a tear-jerking ballad. ‘Irish Goodbye’, featuring Kae Tempest, is nothing short of breathtaking. It's a delicate ode to Móglaí Bap’s mother, Irish language activist and musician Aoife Ní Riain, who died by suicide in 2020.

“Life can give ya lemons / And sometimes it is bitter / I don’t let it get the better / Cause I’m much better off since I met her / And this one’s for you / This is my love letter.”

The song beautifully includes a line which plays on the term “Irish goodbye” - akin to what the British refer to as the “French leave” or “French exit”, while the French consider it to be “filer à l’anglaise” (literally: “sneaking off English style”). Instead of leaning into the playfulness, the term is given emotional weight.

“It didn’t matter what was going on / I understand well that you had enough / I wanted to say goodbye / Not an Irish goodbye.”

It’s a melancholic note to end on, one which shows how versatile Kneecap truly are.

Yes, they rap about “international law they were abusing”. Yes, they’ve provoked tabloid outrage. And yes, they’ve released ‘Fenian’, a masterful album which proves they know exactly what they’re doing, and that they have the range to match their verve.

'Fenian' by Kneecap is out now.