Kneecap have announced that their upcoming album, Fenian, will be released in April.
The group, who comprise of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, will share this new album on 24 April, calling it "a considered response to those that tried to silence us".
Confirming this news on social media, the group wrote: "They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap 'terrorists', with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself".
"We had all the motivation we needed... this isn't a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed".
They continued: "Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.
"Now we're using it to name everyone speaking truth to power", they added"After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didn't.
"Thanks to Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed, and Kneecap is much the same... we haven't gone away".
"The Paddies are back".
2025 was a turbulent for Kneecap, after a terror charge levelled against rapper Liam Óg hAnnaidh, aka Mo Chara, was thrown out by a court in London.
Mo Chara was previously accused of showing a Hezbollah flag during a Kneecap show last November. Hezbollah are listed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.
"Mr O hAnnaidh, you are free to go," which was met with a huge round of applause in the public gallery. "You can do your celebrating outside, but the court now has other business to attend to". More on this from Nova here.
Before Christmas, Kneecap also announced a collaboration with Irish soccer side, Bohemian FC, who unveiled a new away kit, paying tribute to the "unbreakable bond" between the Irish and Palestinian people. It features both the Irish and Palestinian flags interwoven in the design. More here.
That same month also saw Kneecap rapper JJ Ó Dochartaigh aka Moglaí Bap announce the sad news that his grandmother, Theresa Carleton had passed away, a woman whom he affectionately hailed as "the Belfast Bap connoisseur". More on this story here.
