THE MARY WALLOPERS

Nothing is easier than putting together a travel brochure for Ireland. Gather some images of a table full of pints of beer, intersperse them with photos of local female beauty, then combine them with snapshots of their endless walking trails through dark green, fairly green and light green landscapes, and you're halfway there. Spend the rest of the brochure on the unique cultural heritage that the entire island has received from The Dubliners, The Pogues and The Chieftains, and local hotels will see their bookings rise considerably. The Irish folk flag flies highest these days above the rehearsal room of THE MARY WALLOPERS, a collective from Dundalk that uses instruments that are never actually offered for sale at the Lokers flea market.  The Mary Wallopers are a group that embellish their tunes with messages that sometimes feel like a left-wing middle kick aimed at both your diaphragm and your conscience. Believe us, in terms of ‘That's how it is, and if you don't believe me, you can stick your middle finger up your arse,’ they are every bit as good as Kneecap. As for the music, we will never get enough of their single “The Juice” (2025), a song that goes straight to your heart. We often return to the LP Irish Rock “n” Roll, an album that has provided us with an alternative to the better pills (Dafalgan, Diazepam, Valium, etc.) since 2023.  It's also an album that combines the healing power of warm lavender oil with the wisdom of Joe Strummer and Woody Guthrie. But, as we said, played with instruments that you rarely or never find at local flea markets. And for the rest, you just have to dance, or to quote the great Albert Einstein: ‘Go with that Chiquita!’.  Rousing songs and powerful words for the Good Cause, all delivered with the most beautiful accent in the world and packaged in catchy songs. After The Mary Wallopers' concert on Monday 3 August, you are guaranteed to return home cheerfully to pack your suitcase and check your smartphone for available hotel rooms on the most beautiful island in Europe.