Kneecap’s political rebellion runs into the limits of global tolerance

Kneecap's mix of political satire and radical activism has won fans — and now sparked an international backlash they didn’t expect

DJ Próvaí, of Kneecap, performs onstage during Coachella on April 11, 2025 in Indio, California. Picture: Valerie Macon/AFP

During a week of Kneecap living dangerously, it was another artist with Irish connections who came to mind. Back in 1989, Elvis Costello released his album Spike, including a song that was a powerful attack on Margaret Thatcher.

Costello snarled out the six minute Tramp The Dirt Down, which included the lines: “When England was the whore of the world, Margaret was her madam. And the future looked as bright and as clear as the black tarmacadam.”