The Zine UK

Crammed into the fire exit stairwell of Mascara Bar, with the sounds of victory celebration spilling down from the bar, Na Cairde Collective were buzzing. The Mo Chara court case had just been thrown out - a significant win for both the Irish republican and Palestine solidarity movements after months of legal proceedings that had galvanised London's Irish community - and the afterparty is in full swing.

But here, away from the chaos, Gareth, Sean, and Colin are reflecting on how a random act of solidarity turned them into something they never expected to be: a proper band.

How Three Irish Lads Became a ‘Thing’

The trio's story begins in the organic networks of London's Irish music scene, where musicians cross paths through shared heritage and political consciousness. "We all kind of crossed paths just gigging around London and being Irish," Colin explains. "We became mates through getting gigs off each other, playing the odd tune here and there together."

The London Irish Centre in Camden served as their unofficial headquarters - a space that has long been central to Irish cultural and political life in the capital. "I was working there," he continues, "and we all, in our own capacities, filtered through that building at one point or another. We'd known each other for a couple of years, separately doing our own individual thing as musicians."

When the first Mo Chara trial protest was organised, it represented more than just support for one individual - it was part of the broader solidarity movement connecting Irish republicanism with contemporary struggles for liberation. Gareth had connections with the organisers and got asked if he could "wrangle some rag-tag musicians together." They all just played the gig - first time as a group and didn't think much of it.

"It's important to know that it was a fluke," Gareth jumps in. "I don't think they actually had any music plans, and it just came about that we were musicians. Then they were like, 'Oh okay, go on, sing!' We just really didn't realise it was going to be the kind of thing where we're singing loads, you know?"

The Brian Eno Moment

What happened next has become part of London Irish folklore. "People kept asking, 'What's the name of the band? What's the name of the band?' and we obviously didn't have an answer for them," Colin grins. "Then at one point we were on stage and almost out of the ether, a hand taps on my shoulder."

He pauses for dramatic effect. "I turned around - it was Brian Eno with the biggest pro-Palestine badge I've ever seen. It was like, way down to his hand, and he said, 'You know, you're doing great, what's the name of the band?'"

"At that point we were all kicking ourselves," Colin laughs. "So in the pub afterwards we were like, right, we need to have a name. That's how Na Cairde Collective was born."

The encounter revealed something deeper than celebrity endorsement. "He joined us for a rousing rendition of 'Whiskey in the Jar,'" Gareth remembers. "He had a whole speech about Palestine and the troubles in Ireland on his phone. He was actually kind of nervous as well - just a respectful, humble kind of dude who clearly gave a massive shit. That was honest, you know, 100% proof."

Solidarity Across Struggles

Eno's massive pro-Palestine badge wasn't coincidental. It reflected the deep understanding within progressive circles of how Irish and Palestinian experiences of occupation and resistance mirror each other. Both peoples have faced systematic displacement, cultural suppression, and military occupation. Both have used music, art, and cultural expression as forms of resistance. When Irish republicans sing songs of freedom, Palestinians recognise the melody.

This connection isn't abstract politics for Na Cairde Collective, it's lived reality in London's interconnected activist communities, where solidarity isn't performative but practical, rooted in shared understanding of what liberation movements actually look like on the ground.

From Individual Struggle to Collective Strength

The transition from solo careers to collective action mirrors the broader political lessons the band embodies. "We were all solo musicians - we still are solo musicians in our own right - but this has kind of given us a fantastic excuse to raise money for great organisations," Gareth explains. "But also we enjoy having a silly goose time together, and it's actually been really nice writing songs and playing together. It's giving us a boot up the arse!"

The shift represents something more significant than career development. "It's just been nice actually sharing the burden of trying to manage your music career," Gareth continues. "We've got like, you know, it's a collective - Na Cairde - like there's not just us, there's people behind the scenes who are massive help with videography and sound engineering and just planning and stuff like that. So it's been great, it's community, which is what we've been banging on about for ages."

"When you're doing everything on your own in a silo, you start to wonder, 'What am I doing this for?'" he adds. "And then when you have this, you're like, 'This is great!' Community and raising money the whole time."

Music as Mutual Aid

For Na Cairde Collective, perhaps accidentally, every performance has served dual purpose, artistic development and material solidarity. Colin brings it back to what matters most: "Each gig we've done, it's been raising money - that's the most important part of the whole thing. It's like the perfect balance, you know?"

This approach reflects a fundamental understanding that culture and politics cannot be separated - that music can be both beautiful and useful, that entertainment and education go hand in hand, and that artistic success means nothing without community benefit.

The Road Ahead

"Right, we're writing songs," Colin says, getting serious for a moment. "That's kind of our priority, we've been in the studio together writing tunes and we want to figure out our own sound as a band. We're going to keep doing more fundraisers, and hopefully by the end of the year do a proper headline set of original material. Then there might be rumours of a tour happening as well."

The transition from covering traditional Irish songs at protests to creating original material represents evolution, not abandonment of their roots. What started as three mates helping out at a solidarity gig has developed into something with genuine artistic ambition, whilst never losing sight of the political consciousness that brought them together.

As the celebration continues and the stairwell interview winds down, one thing is clear: Na Cairde Collective will be heading back into the studio, and original music is coming soon. We can’t wait.

Follow Na Cairde Collective: @nacairdecollective

Na Cairde Collective join other TheZineUK fave Speit as part of the 24 Hour Jam for Palestine at the Invisible Wind Factory in Liverpool on Wed 12th Nov to Thu 13th Nov, you can get tickets here.

We’ll be listing other upcoming gigs from the lads on our Zeenager’s Gig Guide soon, so keep an eye out there.