In what can only be described as a cultural phenomenon, Kingfishr have shot to enormous heights, since the release of their track ‘Killeagh, to social media in June 2024. A song which was originally meant as a favour to the village club, for which the song gets its namesake, ahead of their county final proved to be the launching point for this trio who met while studying engineering at UL. The first time I encountered these lads was on TikTok. Overnight it felt like every time you opened social media it was either the lads themselves performing acoustically in a picturesque location or a litany of others who had jumped on the trend of performing their own cover of the famous song. Killeagh tapped into the grá for place that many of Ireland’s youth yearned for, a song that represented them and their passion, particularly for the GAA. It would make sense why the GAA opted to adopt it as the main track for the lead up to the 2025 All Ireland Hurling Final clash between Cork and Tipperary; especially fitting since banjo player Eoghan “McGoo” McGrath hails from Tipperary and bassist Eoin “Fitz” Fitzgibbon hails from the village of Killeagh, County Cork.
Fitting again that the day of the All Ireland Hurling final fell on the night of their sold out gig in Galway’s Heineken Big Top, which I was very delighted to attend. Much to the disappoint for many rebel fans, Cork suffered a massive loss. There was almost a worry that this would put a damper on the evenings proceedings but that washed away fairly quickly upon entering Fisheries field, awash with muck from that day’s showers, but buzzing with energy.
First on to warm up the crowd were Scottish group Brògeal, who brought their own blend of celtic punk fusion to the Galway stage. I’d never heard of the lads before, only brief whispers that they may have opened for the Wolfe Tones previously. Their sound was definitely unique, paying homage to their homeland, with mixes of instruments played by the different members. They had a bit of a quiet opening but as their set wore on they became really comfortable and were highly energetic and interacting with the crowd. I thought personally the crowd let them down a bit, as there was still quite a few people coming in and out to the bar and chatting during their set, which took from it for me, but enjoyed their set regardless.
Kingfishr’s entrance was met with the raucous eruptions that sent me back to the 2010s standing in a sea of OneDirection fans. Had I not been there in a professional capacity myself, I would have probably joined them. I go to many gigs, and am so privileged to spend my time doing this, I discover new bands and music in this job, but this was one of the first instances where I was having the opportunity to photograph one of my favourite groups. I like so many others loved Killeagh but have since been drawn in further by each of their new releases, waiting with baited breath until the next track went live on spotify. Their music feels classic, while also feeling fresh. It brings out a patriotic emotional feeling in the chest and the lyrical prowess of these lads is astounding. All that being said, when you enjoy someone’s music so much online and on Spotify, sometimes you can worry it won’t translate well in a concert setting. Boy, was I wrong. From the moment they entered that stage, to the four encore songs they played until very last second of the night before the power would be shut off, the experience was sublime. Every song delivered to perfection, with just enough stage antics, that you would expect from a group like this. The swagger and the ability to work the crowd, was insane, you would think they had been playing arenas for decades. They played all the hits including “Killeagh”, “Diamonds and Roses”, “Gloria” and “Man on the Moon” in fact, they played Killeagh twice, closing the show with a second hair-rising rendition. A newer track “Next to Me” was also played as well as a not-yet released “21” which is part of their upcoming album to be released on August 22nd.
Overall, this is one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to hands down, and I will be booking tickets to see another gig of theirs, and would recommend anyone else to do the same. You will not regret it!
Brògeal photos:
Kingfishr photos:
Photos & Words – Lisa Hamilton @lisahamiltonphotography