The Mary Wallopers Announce New Album Paddywhackery

The Dundalk folk-punk outfit return with a defiant new album, a sharp-tongued single about identity and belonging, and their biggest UK and Irish tour to date.

Irish folk group The Mary Wallopers have announced their third studio album, Paddywhackery, which is set for release on 18 September via BC Records.

Alongside the announcement, the Dundalk outfit have shared the album's lead single, ‘Crowns of England’, a driving folk-punk track produced by James Skelly. The song explores feelings of cultural displacement and identity, drawing on the experience of being Irish in England and navigating the contrasts between the two countries.

Speaking about the single, frontman Charles Hendy explained that the song was inspired by the feeling of being an outsider, both as an Irish person living in England and as someone confronting the country's lingering symbols of empire and monarchy. He also noted that the theme extends beyond nationality, touching on the wider experience of people moving away from their hometowns and trying to fit into unfamiliar environments.

The accompanying video stars Danielle Galligan and follows a character wandering through London while longing for home. Directed by James Slater, the visual complements the song's themes of isolation and cultural disconnect.

Paddywhackery follows 2023's Irish Rock 'n' Roll and was recorded over a two-week period in Liverpool with Skelly and engineer Chris Taylor. According to the band, the album embraces both humour and sincerity, taking aim at those who have dismissed them as "too Irish" while celebrating the traditions and identity that underpin their music.

The title itself comes from a term the group have often had directed at them. Rather than rejecting it, they have chosen to reclaim it, turning the phrase into a statement of defiance and pride.

The album will feature eleven tracks, including ‘The Juice’, ‘Worker's Song’, ‘Banks of the Roses’ and ‘Landlord's Demise’.

To coincide with the release, The Mary Wallopers have also announced an extensive UK tour this autumn. The run includes dates in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and a headline show at London's O2 Academy Brixton on 30 October, before concluding with arena performances at Dublin's 3Arena and Glasgow's OVO Hydro in December.

Paddywhackery arrives on 18 September via BC Records.