'Heartbroken' music star takes to stage hours after death of father: 'Tonight is for him'
Kneecap moved the crowd at their sold-out Belfast concert last night with a touching tribute to band member Moglai Bap's father, who sadly passed away. The Irish language rap group, fresh from the excitement of their self-titled movie being Oscar-nominated, honoured Moglai Bap’s dad, Gearoid O Caireallain.
Amidst their electrifying performance at SSE Arena, they displayed his picture along with the years '1957-2024'. Earlier on Instagram, the band shared memories of Mr O Caireallain in heartfelt snaps: "Gearoid O Caireallain, father of Moglai Bap passed away last night." They expressed their profound loss, saying: "He was an Irish language revolutionary, community activist, loving father, husband and an inspiration to many. We are heartbroken."
Their commitment to their roots shone as Kneecap affirmed: "Tonight’s concert at the SSE arena will be the largest Irish language gig in the city’s history. Nothing would have made him prouder. Tonight is for him."
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Comprising Moglai Bap, Mo Chara, and the balaclava-clad DJ Provai, Kneecap's blend of punk and rap was supported on stage by local talent including band Gurriers and singer Gemma Dunleavy.
Riding the wave of critical acclaim, their film Kneecap has been nominated for not just best international feature film but also best original song with Sick In The Head at the upcoming Academy Awards.
In a significant victory in November, the group triumphed in their discrimination legal fight against UK Opposition leader and ex-business secretary Kemi Badenoch after the UK Government admitted it was "unlawful" to deny them a £14,250 Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding award. Adding to their achievements, earlier this month, the film Kneecap dominated at the British Independent Film Awards, taking home an impressive seven gongs, including the prestigious best British independent film.
