Back in November 2020 The Celtic Star spoke to Kieran from Glasgow based Irish Duo Glasnevin, a two-piece band with 10 years under their belt playing in Scotland, Ireland, Europe and the U.S.
Glasnevin are an enormously popular band amongst the Celtic support, and as part of a series of articles highlighting the difficulties artists faced during the enforced pandemic lockdowns, we had a chat with Kieran about Glasnevin’s journey over the last decade, about Celtic, music and the impact of Lockdown. It was an open and honest take on how the restrictions were hitting music performers hard with Kieran admitting –
“Lockdown has been extremely tough, first and foremost we have both lost our jobs, but live music was much, much more than just a job for us, it was our social life, our outlet, our chance to try out new music and a bubble in which it kept our mental health and general happiness at a high.”
You can read that interview below but ahead of that there’s something else for you to enjoy. Glasnevin are back performing live and going by the reception they were getting as they performed at the weekend – It’s the form we have found, Since Ange has been around, That has put us at the top of the league – and put a spring in the step of Kieran and Conor from Glasnevin.
It’s the form we have found
Since Ange has been around
That has put us at the top of the league pic.twitter.com/tsVFSpeYoM— Glasnevin rebel band (@Glasnevin1916) March 7, 2022
Lockdown impacted us all, but for music artists dependent on live audiences for their income it really did hit hard. As such it’s fantastic to see Glasnevin and many other acts being able to get on the road, entertain us all – and of course earn a living. The fact Ange Postecoglou has us top of the league and looking down on theRangers only adds to the celebratory mood.
Here’s that Glasnevin interview…
“On to Victory” – Music and conversation with Kieran from Glasnevin
Football often only plays a part in our experience of supporting Celtic. The origins of the club that attracted so many of us to the cause are borne of charity and of an immigrant Irish population settling in Scotland whilst facing poverty and a far from welcoming environment. As such politics, history and Irish culture all play a part in why we chose Celtic and why Celtic is a club like no other.
Music of course is a huge part of that and as much as stories of great players and footballing triumphs and disasters play their part, so too do the songs the songs we sing of Irish history and oppression, those too are passed down from generation to generation. Continuing to keep the old songs alive and giving us modern interpretation of not just the football songs but also those of Irish republicanism, politics and culture.
There is a vibrant music scene in Glasgow and it is fair to say for many of these artists performing live allows them to make a living and to fund their songwriting and recording. As such the current Covid-19 crisis is hitting them hard. The Celtic Star would like to try and support these artists and we’ve been doing just that over the last few weeks.
This time we speak to Kieran from Glasgow based Irish Duo Glasnevin, a two-piece band with 10 years under their belt playing in Scotland, Ireland, Europe and the U.S. They are an enormously popular band amongst the Celtic support.
We had a chat with Kieran about Glasnevin’s journey over the last decade, about Celtic, Music and the impact of Lockdown. It’s an open and honest take on how the restrictions are hitting music performers hard.
Glasnevin are well known to many Celtic supporters but for those who may be new to you guys, could tell us a bit about who you are, and your journey to this point?
Glasnevin formed in very late 2009 when myself and Conor had met through our mutual friend Chris from Glasgow band The Wakes. We hit it off immediately and done our first gig together in March 2010 in the Brazen Head and went full time as a Glasnevin in May 2010. We held down regular spots in bars like the Emerald Isle, Bairds, The Tall Cranes and the Brazen Head. We then played our first gig in Ireland, Derry to be specific in June 2010 and quickly made that our second home, spending a good portion of our time in the city. A tradition we have kept up to this day.
2010 also saw us head to The Dubliner Bar in Santa Ponsa with Pat and Alan of Shebeen for the first of almost 10 years of summers out there. 2011 and 2012 saw us take on a few months’ work in Gran Canaria and release our debut album “We Only Want The Earth”, continuing to gig around the UK, Ireland and America to promote it.
Between summers in Spain and winters back home gigging the next few years saw us go from strength to strength both musically and as friends. We have been extremely fortunate to have been a part of some amazing gigs and events both of a Republican nature which is our first and foremost priority, and also playing at events surrounding Celtic matches such as tours of Italy, countless gigs in Germany, Holland, Turkey, Spain and France.
We were also fortune that 2016 saw us reach top 20 in the iTunes charts with our release of the song Grace to raise money for the Green Brigade.
2020 soon came round and with our 10-year anniversary happening we thought it’s about time for CD number two. Both of us are massive Celtic fans despite rarely getting to games these days due to gigs. With a historic Treble Treble taking place and 9-in-a-Row happening we compiled a track listing of mainly older Celtic songs to be put onto a CD for our new album “On To Victory”. Despite us being on the road full time for 10 years, this opened up a lot of new listeners for us and it’s just a shame we haven’t been able to get out gigging to promote it.
Was it being in the stands or terraces and hearing the songs that inspired you to perform or was it the music that inspired you first and Celtic followed?
For as long as I can remember, The Wolfetones, Dubliners, The Irish Brigade, Dean Park and various other Irish and Celtic compilation records were always being played in my house. Football songs and chants are infamously catchy and few teams, if any, have as many songs and records about them as Celtic do, so hearing these tunes probably put the seeds in my mind about playing music.
Travelling to and from games in the late 80s and early 90s with my brother and my dad only increased my love of both Celtic and music. The Lomond CSC that we travelled on always had a great mixture of Celtic and Irish songs playing and as the 90s progressed it saw bands like the Shebeen and Eire Og in particular get more and more air time. And this brand of new wave rebel music really spoke to me and I know Conor had similar experiences.
You are a band who have played across Europe, how are you adapting during these periods of Lockdown and how can people still watch you live?
Lockdown has been extremely tough, first and foremost we have both lost our jobs, but live music was much, much more than just a job for us, it was our social life, our outlet, our chance to try out new music and a bubble in which it kept our mental health and general happiness at a high.
We have undertaken dozens of live streams on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and we will continue to do this until we can play live again. Our next big event is on the 19 and 20 December to coincide with Christmas and the Scottish Cup Final, it includes a live stream from Marty Healy in Derry and then a live stream from Glasnevin after the final.
If they made a movie of your Celtic supporting and musical life what would be the song for the opening scene and which would play as the credits rolled?
The opening scenes it would have to be Celtic Celtic, That’s the Team for me. It just sums everything up about the club in a few lines.
Credits would likely be A Nation Once Again, it became ingrained in our set list for every gig and is usually the song we finish with.
You had a new album out in the summer, tell us a bit about that and where can we buy it?
The idea has been one we have played about with since we formed. We were strictly against mixing republican songs and Celtic songs on the one album, purely because we didn’t think it was right to be singing about volunteers who have gave their life for Ireland on one track then singing a song about winning the European Cup on the next.
We put together the dozen or so songs mainly based on what we liked as a band. We have a particular liking for the older songs due to the passion they were written with the often-forgotten words and phrases used in them. Bould Bould Celts was likely the very first ever song written about Celtic and I don’t think it had ever been recorded onto a record before so we thought it was important to give it an airing and keep the history alive.
The album is available from our online shop linked below, it’s also on all the usual download and streaming sites such as iTunes, Spotify, amazing music and Google play.
You can play in an all-time 5-a-side Celtic team. Who are the 4 players you’d choose to have alongside you?
Tough one here, I would likely start with my old pal John Fallon in goals due to his ability and sheer love of the club, no man deserves it more.
Bertie Auld and myself in defence just so I could listen to his stories.
Jinky in midfield to run rings round everyone
Henrik upfront, the greatest I’ve ever seen.
You can of course help Glasnevin through these incredibly tough times by digging deep and buying their music and merchandise.
Glasnevin released their debut album, titled We Only Want The Earth. The CD was consisted of Irish folk and rebel songs. Following that success, and to mark 10 years on the road together, the band released a second album This time, focussing on classic Celtic songs “On To Victory” . You can purchase these albums alongside T-shirts, hats and other merchandise at their online shop. https://glasnevin1916.bigcartel.com/
You can also keep up to date with live performances including that live performance after the Cup final on 20th December online via the band’s social media at Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be back to remind you about that nearer the time also.
A big thank you to Kieran from Glasnevin for taking the time to talk to us, please do try and help if you can.
Here’s another one from Kieran performing ‘Caledonia’ in support of all the frontline staff dealing with the pandemic.
Niall J
