Live Report: Brógeal lift the roof off The Academy

When was the last time a Falkirk jersey was spotted on Abbey Street?

The Scottish first division football team have had an impressive season which saw them secure a top-six finish and reach a Scottish Cup semi final, but it’s hard to imagine there's much support for the club in Dublin's inner-city.

This particular gentleman is sporting Falkirk colours for a different reason.

Brógeal, the Scottish punk-folk powerhouse, whip their fans into a frenzy, sparking absolute carnage at their gig in The Academy this evening. Although sporadically interrupted by a couple of soothing ballads, Brógeal took the roof of the place with their raucous punk-folk anthems.

Drawing inspiration from The Pogues and The Dubliners, Brógeal are part of a new generation of artists such as The Mary Wallopers, Madra Salach (who were in attendance) and CMAT that are embracing their Irish heritage.

Brogeal at The Academy on May 7th, 2026. Copyright Patrik Meier/www.hotpress.com

The band quite literally have ‘Celtic’ roots. Daniel Harkins (vocalist/songwriter/guitarist) and fellow songwriter Aidan Callaghan (vocals, banjo) met on bus journeys to and from Celtic games throughout the 2010s, before joining forces with Sam MacMillan, who taught himself to play his grandad's accordion, local studio engineer Euan Mundie (bass) and Luke Mortimer (drums).

You could be forgiven for mistaking ‘Man Accused of Murder’ as a track from The Pogues, and Aidan Callaghan for the late Shane McGowan.

The jig, an arrangement of an acoustic guitar, a clattering banjo, a swelling accordion backed by steady drum, is a masterful draw of influences from songs like 'The Old Main Drag', 'A Pair of Brown Eyes' and 'Navigator'.  The lyrics, "And they laugh at my story/ And spit in my face/ And the Newspapers wish I was dead in my grave/ I'm a man accused of murder" emanate themes of desperation and melancholy that intermittently appear on Rum Sodomy & The Lash.

I envy those who recall attending early gigs from The Pogues, but I’d have to imagine that this is pretty close. The song garners a more mellow reaction from those in attendance when compared to some of their more raucous tunes. Arm in arm the attendees sway with the ballad and sing the lyrics back to the Brogéal singer.

As the band break into the title track of their new album Tuesday Paper Club you can feel the inspiration of The Pogues once again. A ceile drumming-esque 6/8 beat and a bellowing accordion mimic the track ‘Bottle of Smoke’ from the Pogues 1988 album If I Should Fall from the Grace of God. However, from what I see those in attendance are not concerned with drawing similarities between the two bands and seem more concerned with causing what I can only describe as absolute mayhem.

Brogeal at The Academy on May 7th, 2026. Copyright Patrik Meier/www.hotpress.com

Rare for a gig these days, there are more plastic pints of beer being brandished (and occasionally thrown) in the air than phones. Even if I strategically place myself away from the mob I have find myself in the cross fire of a pint-launch or two. It is causing slight concern as I plan to drive home and If I’m stopped by the gardaí my clothes are going to stink of beer.

One particular gentleman clad in a retro Celtic jersey has been hoisted into the air and sent back towards the sound techs. Amazingly, he's somehow avoided the gaping moshpit that formed during his brief crowd surf and is returned safely to the ground.

As the band leave stage and say goodnight, itìs hard to believe that they are playing their last tune. The crowd urge the band back on stage and evidently as the crowd pleasers that Brogéal are, they duly returned.

Brogeal at The Academy on May 7th, 2026. Copyright Patrik Meier/www.hotpress.com

“One last dance folks lets ave it”, bellows Harkins.

This was the introduction to the final song of the evening ‘Sunday Morning’, a breakaway from the shackles of traditional music as a groovy The Kooks-esque pop anthem provides the means for another round of carnage in front of the centre stage. This time it goes one further, as Harkins surfs through the crowd while he sings the closing lyrics. I am reasonably surprised that the crowd unhandled the Brogéal frontman when the tune ended and actually let him go home.

Brogéal are an impetus of celtic culture with their unwavering energy and roof raising music. It’s no wonder why they have been praised as one of the best live bands in the UK at the moment, although I’m not too sure how fond they would be of being described as British.