An unofficial directory for Irish punks
What is it? Like the yellow pages, but for punk things.
Last updated: January 2024.
To request an addition to the directory, e-mail DJ MAL.
FÓGRA: DJ MAL reserves the right to refuse listings for any reason.
FÓGRA EILE: instagram accounts will not be listed, send me a website or an e-mail address at least.
🚧 THIS WEB PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION 🚧
Advice, Advocacy & Assistance
- 32 Bit Café
An invaluable online resource for anyone interested in setting up & running their own website (like this one!).
- Activist Legal Support Ireland
Sometimes you might have to explain things to the Gardaí. This is your own business (or perhaps the business of FLAC). However, if you have to explain things to the Gardaí because of a protest, Activist Legal Support Ireland can offer some advice before and after.
- The Black Rock Coalition
Founded in 1985, this American organization seeks to support & document the art of Black musicians.
The BRC opposes those racist and reactionary forces within the American music industry which undermine and purloin our musical legacy and deny Black artists the expressive freedom and economic rewards that our Caucasian counterparts enjoy as a matter of course. Rock and roll, like practically every form of popular music across the globe, is Black music and we are its heirs. We, too, claim the right of creative freedom and access to American and International airwaves, audiences, markets, resources and compensations, irrespective of genre.
- Digital Rights Ireland
They're small, they're independent, & they bully ministers when they try to bring in surveillance legislation.
- Disability Pride Ireland
Organizers of the Irish Disability Pride & Power parade & protests for disability justice. Acoustic Punk Advocacy Service played at the 2023 march.
[Disability Pride Ireland] are a non-partisan social movement for the people, by the people, who seek to draw attention to issues in the disability rights movement, and redefine perceptions of disabled people through the vehicle of arts and culture. [...] Piss on Pity!
- Dublin Food Not Bombs (Bia gan Buamaí)
Cooking for na daoine, particularly na daoine gan dídean. Food Not Bombs make nice food for cheap & give it away. They cater squat socials & protests, & in November '23 they even gave free spicebags out in front of McDonalds to encourage a consumer boycott against them as part of the BDS movement. Get in touch at That Social Centre or meet them on Sundays at 7pm on Westmoreland St.
- Girls Rock Dublin
Girls Rock Dublin runs free courses for girls & young women who are interested in learning to play rock music. Girls Rock also run a gear library for all young people - instruments, microphones & other bits can be borrowed from Dublin City Library.
- Heavy Metal Therapy
UK based group exploring how heavy & extreme music & subculture communities can be used by mentally ill/mad people to help them through mental distress or difficult experiences.
- The Hope & Courage Collective
FKA the Far Right Observatory, the Hope & Courage Collective are a group that research the Irish Far Right's beliefs, ism & phobia, as well as successful community-led responses to their tactics.
- Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign
Long-standing organization encouraging solidarity with the Palestinian people & participation in the BDS movement.
- Not Here, Not Anywhere
Do you like having air to breathe, and water to drink? Do you like the planet being at a semi-habitable temperature? Then help Not Here Not Anywhere prevent new fossil fuel developments & energy-hungry data centres from being built, & help your scene or neighbourhood quit fossil fuels.
- Neuro Pride Ireland
Neuro Pride is a grassroots celebration for neurodivergent people, inspired by Gay & Trans Pride.
- Small Trans Library
The Dublin branch of the Small Trans Library is a volunteer-run library by/for trans people. The library has a collection of LGBT+ books & zines it lends out, & it has also broken into running events such as film screenings, sea swims & a Trans Punk gig the week of Trans & Intersex Pride 2023. Keep an eye out for more events...
- Those Social Centres
See: That Social Centre
- Trans Harm Reduction
Trans Harm Reduction is a trans-led grassroots organization which offers advice & support to trans people conducting their medical transition outside of the Irish gender medicine system. They organize tests of grey-market hormones, provide safe injecting supplies & organize access to blood tests for self-medicating trans people.
Archives
- Cork Zine Archive
A physical archive of zines from Cork, independently curated in association with UCC. The archive's contents are wide-ranging & include much material of interest to punks & other subculturalists.
The Cork Zine Archive [...] includes publications devoted to a wide variety of subjects, including veganism, the early Irish Gay Rights Movement, the folk music scene of the 1970s, mod culture, graffiti & street art, feminism, punk, fine arts, poetry, activism, skateboarding, football, hip-hop, the GAA & music.
- Cork LGBT+ Archive
This physical & digital archive documents the history of LGBT+ life in Cork. Collection holds items which may be of particular interest to punks, such as scans of the early Irish queer zine Quare Times.
- The Internet Archive
A digital Library of Alexandria, the Internet Archive is a physical & digital repository of audio, texts, video, imagery, computer programmes & archived webpages, many added by members of the public. Dig through their collection & you'll be sure to find material related to punk, including Irish punk. Dig through their punk zines collection for scans of Irish zines like Barricade or Everything Went Black! Read a collection of short stories as Gaeilge called PUNK agus Scéalta Eile! Watch Guerillere Talks, a New York No Wave film by pioneering Irish director Vivienne Dick! & then make sure to download it all, 'cause just like the Library of Alexandria, the Internet Archive could burn down any minute....
- The Irish Left Archive
An independently-run archive of pubications, printed matter & ephemera related to the organized (& disorganized!) left in Ireland. Also hosts the Irish Left Archive podcast, an archive of interviews with people involved in the Irish left both past & present. Some areas of the collection & some podcast episodes deal with areas which may be of particular interest to punks (such as animal rights, the anarchist bookfair, squatting & LGBT+ activism)
- Irish Metal Archive
Online archive of Irish heavy metal music, past & present - including Irish heavy metal `news, music, band histories & zines.
- Queer Zine Archive Project
A San Francisco-based physical & digital archive of queer zines, from the 1970s until the present day, which you can read & download. The collection includes a small number of Irish queer &/or punk zines, such as Butcher Queers & Muff Monsters On Prozac.
- QUEER.IN.PROGRESS Timeline
A digital timeline of Irish LGBT+ history, hosted by the Project Arts Centre. Includes material of particular interest to punks, namely the Future of Feminism documentary which features interviews with queer feminists like Irish band Party Weirdo, DIY feminist gig organizers Magical Girl Promotions, & the editorial team of Muff Monsters On Prozac.
- Paul McDermott
Author of comprehensive oral histories of Cork bands Stump, Microdisney & Nun Attax/Five Go Down To The Sea?/Beethoven. Presenter of radio documentaries about the above, as well as Sliabh Luachra trad, Sultans of Ping F.C & Andrew Weatherall's Irish connections. Presenter of Dublin City FM show "Songs to Learn & Sing". Host of To Here Knows When - Great Irish Albums Revisited, a podcast about Irish popular music.
"you're no one in this town until mcdermott makes a documentary on you... NO ONE!!!
Bands
AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF ACTIVE (AT THE TIME OF WRITING) BANDS IN IRELAND:
- 50 Foot Woman
- Acoustic Punk Advocacy Service
- ADH
- Bean Sí
- Big Boy Foolish
- Big Tears (TRUE STORY: I have seen Big Tears live)
- Bar Tape
- CHEWIE (FKA Chewing On Tinfoil)
- The Deadlians
- Extravision
- EZ Company
- Lankum
- M.A.D
- Mana
- Meryl Streek
- M(h)aol
- Mongrel
- The Nilz
- Peer Pleasure
- Porphyria
- Post Punk Podge & The Techno Hippies
- Paranoid Visions
- Sage Against The Machine
- Scuntz
- An Slua
- Special Branch
- Spit (TRUE STORY: I DMed one of them to try & audition as a synth player once)
- Touch Excellent
IN MEMORIAM: AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF IRISH BANDS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BROKEN UP:
- Audible Joes
- GRIT
- Shithatt
- Plasterpig (TRUE STORY: I owe Gavin Plasterpig money)
- Breaking Tunes
Website listing new Irish bands by genre and location, including punk bands. It's a bit bland but lookit I found out about Gender Chores from there so it can't be too bad.
- We've Only Just Begun Directory
A directory of bands with women members as well as woman musicians, DJs and music business types. Can be sorted by genre and they do have twenty-odd punk bands in the directory.
- Advance Records
- Record label & distro associated with Paranoid Visions.
- All City Records | Allchival
- Who? Sorry, never heard of 'em....
- A Litany of Failures
A series of compilation albums focusing on new Irish independent music. Three compilations released so far.
- Bangers 'N' Mashups
A series of charity fundraiser compilation albums featuring Northern Irish punk & indie artists (and a few of their friends).
- Chainbreaker Records
DIY punk label based in Ireland with both local & international releases. Their website has interviews, links to their podcast and a whole section for recipes, which gets them massive points in my book.
- Dead Lamb Records
Athlone-based label & distro. Steampig are on 'em.
[Dead Lamb] support Underground, Underdog Punk from anywhere on the planet.
- Distroy Records
Irish punk distro, stocking local & international releases
- The Department of Energy
A label for droney, folky, experimental music from Ireland.
Punk and hardcore label and distro from Ireland.
- Dollar Pickle Records
The only record label in the world specifically devoted to "North Kerry Noise". This crew are also the patrons of Scauldwave Records, devoted to the genre of the scauld. I'm still not sure what Scauldwave actually is, but some of the releases from that label are so unpleasant to listen to that they actually make me feel physically sick. That's punk, surely?
- FIFA Records
Independent label operating out of Cork. Has one punk and one ska-punk band on their roster.
- Heresy Records
If you like punk because you're interested in music on the edge of listenability or music outside the mainstream, this art music label might interest you. None of their signings are conventional punks, but they have put out stuff by Irish punk veterans who've moved onto more sophisticated things.
- Thirtythree-45
"arts group" that does lots of different things, such as releasing zines, cassettes and vinyl, running an internet radio station and putting on exhibitions.
- WAHSHTUFF
The label of the Ballina punks. I don't know what's in the water in Ballina, but the scene is strong there.
- The HOPE Collective
Punk & indie listings for Dublin
- Distroy Records
Punk, hardcore & metal listings for Ireland
- The Goo
- This free music rag features detailed gig listings for Dublin across a variety of genres, & runs a regular "punk page" compiled by Niall McGuirk of the HOPE Collective.
- Live Free Tourbooking
Promoters who bring in a lot of the big international punk bands.
Distros & Record Label
Gig Listings
Online
Print Only
Promoters
Radio, Podcasts & Mixtapes
- 3CR
- Radical community radio station in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia. Alright, they have no Irish punk links (as far as I know), but dead interesting nonetheless due to their hardcore radical politics. Multiple anarchist programmes, multiple programmes by trade unions and an annual broadcast from prisons. Unimaginable in Ireland - but why?
- Belfield FM
UCD's student station & more importantly the station that first allowed PUNC on air. Still have some great shows, like the Irish Cinema show (& friends of PUNC) UnEIREthed.
- Craol
Great info on community radio in Ireland - including any jobs going.
- Dublin Digital Radio
They do punk shows sometimes.
- 103.2 Dublin City FM
A Dublin city centre community radio station. The station broadcasts a number of alternative music programs, including Rip It Up and Songs to Learn and Sing.
Indie Rocks Radio- Irish Left Archive Podcast
See: the Irish Left Archive.
- Songs To Learn And Sing
See: Paul McDermott.
- Irish Nuggets
One man's heroic attempt to create an Irish punk equivalent to the "Nuggets" compilations which began in Amerikay & now proliferate in all corners of the earth. The first series of compilations select tracks released between 1977 to 1989, including many rare & little-heard songs by obscure Irish punk bands.
- Near FM
North Dublin's community radio station, & PUNC's new home!
- Radio Active International
A digital descendant of the 90s punk pirate station, Radio Active International streams a variety of music & talk radio programmes. Once Phibsboro-based, Radio Active International now broadcasts streams from across the world, & syndicates shows from other non-commercial stations.
Dermot de Faoite presents a program on Indie Rocks called "Where's Me Jumper". It's an indie music program with an emphasis on new and little-known Irish music.
Comps, Distros and Record Labels
Venues & Other Hip Spots
- Karate Klub
Dublin practice space and occasional record label. See this article from the Dublin Inquirer for more information (and a few pictures).
- Oh Yeah Music Centre
We offer a variety of services & resources, including affordable rehearsal & recording spaces, youth & older people projects, mentoring & talent development for aspiring musicians, music tours, live gigs & more.
- That Social Centre
"They get knocked down, but they get up again...." At the time of writing, the That Social Centre crew have just been forced to vacate a large & luxurious squat complex in fashionable Phibsboro. The hunt is on for a new spot, but as soon as they're settled you can expect film screenings, dance classes & all sorts....
- Another Subculture/Alternative Strategies
Another Subculture is a monthly newsletter for London punks, & Alternative Strategies is their quarterly zine. No, they're not Irish. However, editor Ben did let me write an article for Alt Strat. As if that wasn't enough reason to include them in this directory (I'm JOKING), that same issue included a big spread of photos by Irish punker Leigh Arthur & endorses a number of Irish zines in its backpage spread. Honorary gaelpunks in my book.
- Bloomers
Cork-based artsy indie press collective: publishers of Bloomers & FAT ÉIRE. They even have their own directory!
- Canablach Metal Zine
Heavy Metal fanzine out of Dublin looking at current local bands and broader trends in the world of heavy metal. I am only a distant acquaintance of editor Haz but I am reliably told he is not just a good drawer (he did all the art in the zine) but a sound lad.
- Drag Acid
Drogheda zine (put out by thirtythree-45) that comes with a CD. I haven't read/listened to it but it looks interesting.
- City Rocker
CR is edited by Ed, from Special Branch. It's a high-end zine that's all about Dublin, 'one part Irish ephemera scrapbook / one part wholesome disinformation pamphlet'. Reports of a vicious jackeen-bashing & nostalgia-busting parody zine called "City Schlocker" have never been confirmed.
- Ecliptic of Culture
Eh? Sorry, doesn't ring a bell.
- D-Beat Beater
Website for news about punk and hardcore in Ireland and abroad. Run by the same guy as Distroy Records and Distrotable.
- Hardcore Times
Sporadically updated hardcore news site based in Dublin. Has some nice pictures and suchlike.
An august personage of Irish feminist punk, Leigh Arthur plays in Sissy & Extravision & presented the DDR radio show State Secrets: she also does the odd photozine like The Last Gig.
- PUNC
You're sitting in it!
- Spread
An Irish zine edited by the legendary Yvonne Kiely.
"Spread is a zine about music, sex & DIY culture, born from frustration at a system of consumerism that curates an image of culture around themes over & over again so that we can buy it, read it & become a new version of it over & over again. Culture can be anything. It can be rough around the edges, it can be different, critical, it can be poorly written, well written, it can be gross, disgusting & at odds with the norm.
Currently on hiatus but hunt down any back issues you can find. They even have their own (print) directory!
- Thumped
Middle-aged punk & indie website & forum.
- Gay Community News
In print & online, GCN is a non-profit publication aimed at LGBT+ people in Ireland. Has recently run articles about Irish queer punk (thanks to friend of the show & one-time GCN intern Al F.). Also worth a rummage is its digital archive of print GCN issues from 1988 to 1998 - including many articles about topics of punk interest, & lots of fabbo pics from inside Flikkers.
- Hot Press
What? Never heard of 'em.
- The Thin Air
Online Irish music publication featuring all kinds of new Irish music, including punk. Print edition can be found for free in various Dublin shops on an irregular basis.
- Belfast Anarchist Bookfair
- Cavan Zine Fair
- Cork Zine Fair
- Dublin Anarchist Bookfair
- Dublin Comic Arts Fest (DCAF)
- Drogheda Zine Fair
- Limerick Zine Fair
- L-Space Radical Book Fair (Drogheda)
- Rupture Radical Book Fair