Macklemore opens Free Palestine Tour in Dublin with special guests including Hozier and Kneecap

The sold-out benefit tour sees proceeds donated to organisations assisting Palestinians

Macklemore performing in Cork last year. His Free Palestine benefit tour opened in Dublin last night. Picture: Larry Cummins 

Hozier, Beoga, and Kneecap are just some of the acts that appeared on stage in Dublin last night for Macklemore’s first benefit gig for Palestine.

Macklemore, who has been outspoken against Israel’s actions in Palestine for years, made headlines when his on-stage speech about Palestine at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium led to billionaire Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, pressuring Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the US leg of his  Loop tour.

Hot on the heels of this and the publicity it generated, Macklemore was quick to use his platform to amplify his support — and the support of other artists — for Palestine with a sold-out benefit tour, with proceeds donated to organisations assisting Palestinians.

The first night of the Free Palestine tour saw fellow former Sheeran openers Beoga, a Kerry folk band who performed on Sheeran’s Galway Girl, arrive to further support Macklemore, having left Sheeran’s tour along with every other artist involved following the rapper’s removal from the line-up.

“You don’t fuck with the Irish, lads,” they told the crowd at the 3Arena. That sentiment was echoed by Kneecap, who jokingly thanked Sheeran “for organising this concert”.

Actor Liam Cunningham delivered opening remarks before the surprise guests delighted the crowd.

Hozier performed Take Me to Church, Too Sweet, and 19th-century folk ballad The Prayer of Shiel, backed by a string section, and he appealed for support for 55 students from Gaza who have not had their visas approved to study in Ireland.

Kneecap also amped up the energy with their set, coming after a video montage featuring Sinéad O'Connor, The Troubles, Michael D Higgins, and more. As well as live performances from the likes of Palestinian American DJ Habibeat, US hip-hop duo Dead Prez, and Lina Makoul, the first Palestinian to win the Israeli equivalent of The Voice, the audience heard speeches from activists and video messages from the likes of Cynthia Erivo and Mark Ruffalo.

Macklemore himself arrived on stage for his set after 10pm and was moved by the Irish response to the tour.

“How fitting that the first show would be in Ireland?” he asked, triggering jubilant cries of 'Olé Olé Olé' from the audience.

The Free Palestine Tour continues in Paris on Thursday and London on Friday.