The Killigans

The Killigans came together in Dublin, where founding members Mark and Aoife Killigan started playing in pubs. Their music pulls from Irish folk traditions and rock, with songs like 'Whiskey And Gin' and 'Bandit's Revelry' showing that mix. They've kept at it through some lean years, sticking with what they wanted to play rather than smoothing things out for wider appeal.

Their album 'Whiskey and Gin' got them noticed beyond Ireland, and they followed it with records like 'Raise Your Glass' and 'Heartland'. The band built a reputation for energetic live shows, playing to crowds that responded to the straightforward drive in tracks such as 'Apathetic Notions' and 'Cold Outside'.

They've had lineup changes and disagreements along the way, but the core idea has stayed consistent: take the familiar structures of pub music and give them a rock push. It's not a polished sound, and that's part of the point. You can hear it in 'Desperate Cry', a little ragged, direct, and built for raising a glass.