It was a thrill to perform at the Irish Historical Society in NY this week considering some of the Irish artists who have performed here before - to name but one, Bono. Now moving on quickly to avoid major controversy around the said individual..
When I was 14 years old I read about Robert Emmet and his gallant bid to overthrow Ireland’s empirical masters at the time. Himself a good Irish Protestant believing in a self-determining Ireland free from the British colony. He embarked on what historians to this day argue was or wasn’t a romantic endeavour with revolution. I was so moved by his story way back then I knew I would name my first son after him to remind him and his generation that the issues in Ireland weren't based around sectarianism.
I was enthralled by some of the artefacts in the building. I got the star treatment and met with some really interesting people in the Irish diaspora. In a few weeks time they are putting on an exhibition about Belfast’s subcultures and the Bankrobbers logo is featured, which is a happy coincidence. At least somebody remembers us…! We went down in Irish history which was one of our primary aims at the time.