They marched peacefully. They were fired on. They sang anyway. This week on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #749, sixteen artists remind us that protest songs aren't history — they're a mirror. Dropkick Murphys, Wild Colonial Bhoys, Medusa's Wake, House of Hamill and more. From Diggers of 1649, to Bloody Sunday 1972, to Minneapolis 2026. Some songs don't age. They just find new reasons to matter. -- Subscribe now at CelticMusicPodcast.com!
Amelia Hogan, Dropkick Murphys, Bealtaine, Ed Miller, Black 47, David Rovics, Wild Colonial Bhoys, Eddie Biggins, The Haar, Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats, The Secret Commonwealth, Redhill Rats, Scythian, House Of Hamill, Medusa's Wake, Melanie Gruben
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VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2026 This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create this year's Best Celtic music episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now!
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THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC
0:09 - Amelia Hogan "No Irish Need Apply" from Transplants: From the Old to the New
5:02 - WELCOME
8:14 - Dropkick Murphys "Who'll Stand With Us?" from For The People (Expanded Edition)
12:03 - Bealtaine "Worker's Song" from Factories & Mills, Shipyards & Mines
Written by Ed Pickford in the mid-1970s as a direct response to arguments blaming Britain's economic woes on workers rather than the wealthy. That's a typical tactic that continues today. If we want free and fair elections, we will stop letting billionaires buy our politicians.
The was first recorded by Scottish legend Dick Gaughan in 1981, it's been taken up by everyone from the Dropkick Murphys to The Longest Johns.
16:22 - Ed Miller "Blood upon the Grass" from Generations of Change
In 1977, Scotland traveled to Chile to play a friendly match at the very stadium where, just four years earlier, Pinochet's regime had tortured and killed political prisoners after the 1973 coup. Back in Scotland, a powerful solidarity campaign urged the Scottish Football Association to pull their team from what would become known as the 'Match of Shame.'
Folk singer Adam McNaughtan captured that outrage in his song 'Blood Upon the Grass,' and Edinburgh-born singer Ed Miller later recorded it on his album Generations of Change — keeping this powerful story alive for new generations.
19:16 - Black 47 "San Patricio Brigade" from Rise Up and The Secret World of Celtic Rock
24:18 - FEEDBACK
The Great Hunger in Ireland took place from 1845 to 1852. Irish immigrants migrated to the U.S. They were treated as second-class citizens. There are still newspapers that refer to them as lazy and criminals, thus the "No Irish Need Apply" song at the start of the show.
These were hungry people. They were just looking for opportunities in a new land. Much like the immigrants of today. But they too were treated inhumanely. They were demonized.
So when the Mexican-American War broke out from 1846-1848, many Irish looked at how poorly they were treated in America. They found greater kinship to their Catholic cousins in Mexico. That's why the Saint Patrick's Battalion was formed.
Interestingly, it wasn't just Irish Catholics. There were Catholics from throughout Europe in the battalion including: German, Canadian, English, French, Italian, Polish, Scottish, Spanish, Swiss and Mexican. These were people who were attacked and belittled for their culture and their faith. It should serve as a warning and a reminder for all of us today.
30:04 - David Rovics "St. Patrick Battalion" from Historic Times
32:58 - Wild Colonial Bhoys "Dying Rebel" from Century
A song that reflects on the human cost of rebellion rather than the glorification of the conflict and the martyrdom of its leaders.
Here's what history keeps teaching us. People don't start out wanting to fight. They start out wanting to be heard.
On January 30, 1972, in Derry, Northern Ireland, somewhere between ten and fifteen thousand people joined a peaceful civil rights march. They weren't armed. They were protesting the British government's policy of locking people up without trial. Sort of like what's happening in America now.
British paratroopers opened fire. Thirteen people were killed. Fourteen others were wounded.
The incident caused widespread anger and led to a surge in IRA recruitment. The argument was simple and devastating: peaceful protest could no longer achieve change.
I hope to God America never comes to that. But peaceful protesters were murdered in Minneapolis. I lost a fan because I took my kids to a peaceful No Kings Protest last summer.
When the state fires on and demonizes its own people, it doesn't end the resistance. It just changes its shape.
That's the lesson history keeps trying to teach us. I hope we don't need to learn that the hard way. So please keep peacefully protesting
37:46 - BREAK
39:10 - Eddie Biggins "The Rising of the Moon" from Hey, I'm Singing Over Here!
41:29 - The Haar "Óró Sé Do Bheatha' Bhaile" from The Lost Day
"Óró sé do bheatha abhaile" sounds like a joyful welcome song — and once, it was. The original Irish tune dates back centuries, used to greet returning chieftains and even Bonnie Prince Charlie.
But the version we know today is something altogether fiercer. Around 1910, Patrick Pearse — poet, teacher, and revolutionary — rewrote the lyrics. He replaced the old imagery with a new vision: Gráinne Mhaol, the legendary 16th century pirate queen, sailing home with soldiers to drive the English from Ireland.
Pearse was executed after the 1916 Easter Rising. And his words lived on. The song became a rallying cry, a promise that resistance wasn't finished, that Ireland would be free.
That's why it's still sung today. Not as nostalgia, but as defiance. Every generation that lifts their voice in this song is answering Pearse's call across more than a hundred years.
48:04 - Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats "Patriot Game" from Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion
In my opinion, "Patriot Game" is one of the best Irish rebel songs ever written. It cuts deeper than most rebel songs because it doesn't glorify. It questions.
It was written by Dominic Behan in 1961. The song is based on the true story of Fergal O'Hanlon, an IRA volunteer killed during a 1957 border raid in County Fermanagh. He was just nineteen years old.
But Behan wasn't writing a hero's ballad. He was writing a warning. The song is sung in the voice of a young man who died for a cause he barely understood. Seduced by romantic notions of patriotism before he had the wisdom to weigh the cost.
That's the same as putting the party over the country. Our politicians have fallen into that trap. So I want to ask you to reach out to your representatives. Tell them you've had enough of this insanity.
51:12 - THANKS
Back in December, I got an email from Troy of The Secret Commonwealth. He was letting me know about a man who's been part of his community for over 40 years. His friend is being held by ICE for nearly a year. His friend is hospitalized with a serious infection and awaiting heart surgery, all while being denied adequate medical care and due process. He suffers from a cracked vertebra and a history of cardiac issues, yet remains in unsanitary conditions with limited access to clean water or medical attention.
My friend said, 'I'm feeling pretty damn rebellious right now,' and honestly, I am too. I'm also sad that I didn't bring this to your attention sooner, especially in the wake of the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis back in Janaury.
These are not abstract political issues. These are real people, real families, real communities torn apart. This next song feels like the right response. 'Till Jamie Comes Hame' features traditional words sometimes credited to Robert Burns, with music written by Rob Campbell of the band. And today, it's for everyone waiting for someone to come home.
58:35 - The Secret Commonwealth "Til Jamie Comes Hame" from Last Call
1:02:45 - Redhill Rats "White, Orange and Green" from Some Heroes
1:06:37 - Scythian "Follow Me Up to Carlow" from Immigrant Road Show
1:10:06 - House Of Hamill "Pound A Week Rise" from MARCH THROUGH STORMS
1:14:12 - Medusa's Wake "War of Independence" from War of Independence
1:17:37 - CLOSING
"The World Turned Upside Down" was written in 1975, but it reaches back to 1649 — and maybe even further than that.
Leon Rosselson based the song on the Diggers, a radical movement in England led by Gerrard Winstanley. After the English Civil War, they began farming common land, declaring simply that the earth belonged to everyone. Not to kings. Not to landlords. Not to those who had seized it by force and called it theirs.
They were destroyed for that idea.
But here's something worth sitting with. The Irish language doesn't have a word for "to have." You cannot own anything in Irish. Instead, things exist in relationship with you. A book is at you. Hunger is on you. Joy is on you. Even land.
Not mine. Just... with me for now.
That's not just a quirk of grammar. It's a completely different way of seeing the world. One where ownership itself is the strange idea. The foreign concept.
This the idea that declaring land your private property is an act of violence against everyone else. The Diggers lost. The language nearly did too.
But both survived. And this song is proof that the idea refuses to die.
1:20:18 - Melanie Gruben "The World Turned Upside Down" from Like a Tide Upon the Land
1:22:37 - CREDITS
Support for this program comes from International speaker, Joseph Dumond, teaching the ancient roots of the Gaelic people. Learn more about their origins at Sightedmoon.com
Support for this program comes from Cascadia Cross Border Law Group, Creating Transparent Borders for more than twenty five years, serving Alaska and the world. Find out more at www.CascadiaLawAlaska.com
Support for this program comes from Hank Woodward.
Support for this program comes from Dr. Annie Lorkowski of Centennial Animal Hospital in Corona, California.
The Executive Producer for St Patrick's Month is John Sharkey White, II. The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You'll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.
Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you'll get 7 weekly news items about what's happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.
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Finally, remember. Clean energy isn't just good for the planet, it's good for your wallet. Solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources in history. But too many politicians would rather protect billionaires than help working families save on their bills. Real change starts when we stop allowing the ultra-rich to write our energy policy and run our government. Let's choose affordable, renewable power. Clean energy means lower costs, more freedom, and a planet that can actually breathe.
Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.
WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST
* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I'm a Celtic musician and also host of Pub Songs & Stories.
This podcast is for fans of Celtic music. It's about diversity of thoughts and beliefs and about helping indie celtic musicians. So if you find music you love, support the artists financially.
You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODFEST AND ARTS MARKET Join us Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 12 to 6 PM at The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale Estates, Georgia. Enjoy an afternoon of Celtic and folk music from Kinnfolk, The Muckers, May Will Bloom, and Marc Gunn. Bring your family. Grab a pint. Enjoy the music, and share the energy of a true Celtic gathering. It is free to attend.
While the music plays, explore our Arts Market filled with handmade crafts, art, and unique gifts from local creators. It's a celebration of music, creativity, and community — all in one place.
Come for the songs. Stay for the spirit. We'll see you at The Lost Druid on March 8. 🍀
Follow our event page on Facebook for more details.
We are doing something different this week. Maybe even a bit offensive to some. But my goal is not to offend, but to unite our community.
Our president shared a racist meme of President Obama a few weeks back. The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), one of the oldest and largest Irish Catholic fraternal organizations in the U.S., blasted back. Because his racist attack was no different to the ones directed at the Irish back in the 1800s and in the early 1900s, along with the phrase, "No Irish Need Apply".
That was the song Amelia Hogan shared at the start of this episode. It's from her album, Transplants: From the Old to the New
I wish racism was the least of the controversies coming out of the White House. But every week is a new insanity. Every American, Republican, Democrat, or Independent sees the insanity. But not everyone responds the same way.
This episode is an act of rebellion against the continued injustice against Americans, Celtic or otherwise, who are suffering, who are being arrested and their rights violated. This is not only unjust and illegal, it's shameful that any public official would allow this to happen in our once great nation.
Because every human, American or immigrant, has laws protecting them. But the current administration is illegally breaking those laws. They will be held accountable one day. But for now, we will stand together to resist with Rebel Songs and Protest Songs of many different kinds.
One thing that is different in this episode is that I am featuring cover songs. I normally don't do that because I have to pay royalties to do so. That makes episodes not feasible. But today, I am paying royalties to songwriters to feature these songs. So I'm actually losing money on this episode. But this message needs to be shared.
One of the first Celtic bands I saw standing up to this injustice last year was Dropkick Murphys. I am so pleased to have them kick off the podcast with their song "Who'll Stand With Us?"
THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Thank youfor your loyal and generous support through the good and the bad. Through the ups and the downs. Thank you for your generosity to help fund this show and the Irish and Celtic music movement.
I thought about cutting this section, because the message is so important. But quite honestly, it's needed more than ever because I lost patrons because of last week's episode. I will no doubt lose more for this blatantly political episode as well. But it needs to be said. We can't just bury our heads in the sand while people are being murdered, dehumanized and their rights violated.
Many of the musicians in this show face similar consequences for performing songs that go against the fat cats that run the music industry and that run the government.
All we have is music and art. It's not a lot. But it is something. And it brings you new episodes of this podcast every week. It pays for our Celtic Music Magazine, our graphics and our engineer who puts up with my nonsense and makes me sound halfway decent.
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TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/
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I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK
What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Send me a photo. If you're in a Celtic band, send me an audio recording of you performing live. Just audio. I'll use it in a podcast episode later this year.
Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic.
Scott Panfil emailed: "Hello! My Sister, Brother-in-law, and I have a "Traditional and Eclectic Celtic" band out of Buffalo NY. It's called Almost Seamus and we're on streaming platforms and YouTube.
I just found your podcast today when the Festival was shared by my friend Jeff of The Muckers. I've subscribed and hope you have some room for us on the podcast. I can send along a ton of live stuff too that's more fun than the more-traditional stuff on the CD. Sláinte!"
Richard L Boyce emailed: "Hi Marc, I'm a long-time listener of the podcast, from near the beginning, when there was something called the Cleveland Celtic Podcast, which linked to you.
A few podcast editions ago, you said you might do a show with recordings by people who aren't professionals but just play for pleasure. I've been associated with the Riley School of Irish Music in Cincinnati, OH, for 20 years, where I started by taking flute lessons and ended up as one of the instructors!
Every quarter, the teachers record the tunes that are going to be taught. These are publicly available at https://rileyirishmusic.com/school-tunes. So if you end up doing the program, this might be a good source of recordings for it.
Regards,
PS Alex Sturbaum, who you play on the podcast, is a Riley alum!"
