Kneecap continues to pull no punches with the release of the title track off their upcoming album Fenian. The latest single after “Smugglers & Scholars” and “Liars Tale,” “Fenian” is an anthemic reclamation of identity presented in the trio’s bombastic signature style.
In an April 1, 2026 statement, the trio explained the single as “an anthem to embrace our Fenian past, and to cure our colonial hangover by reconnecting the warriors of Irish folklore with the Fenian c—s from the North of Ireland today.”
The term Fenian refers to late 19th-century Irish republican revolutionaries who fought for Irish independence into the early 20th century. Originally a name for the Fianna warrior tribes of Irish mythology, it eventually became a derogatory term for people from the North of Ireland. As an obvious statement, Kneecap originally scheduled Fenian for an April 24 release, the 110th anniversary of the Easter Rising. However, official statements now list it as May 1.
Kneecap Reclaims Derogatory Term as Crucial Part of Northern Irish Identity in New Single
Kneecap aims to reclaim the term “Fenian” with this album, turning its negative connotation into a source of national and community pride. The music video successfully pulls that off. Its visuals feature local people wearing DJ Provai’s iconic balaclava, from club kids, to a pregnant woman (and her fetus), to young boys on a swing set flipping the bird. What that says is, while they may come from different communities and backgrounds, their true identity is forever rooted in the North of Ireland.
Filmmaker Thomas James directed the “Fenian” music video and previously directed the visuals for “Liars Tale,” as well as videos for Jessie Ware and Bring Me the Horizon. In a statement accompanying the release, James shared the reasons behind his involvement.
“For me, this track is about a reclaiming of identity. Not only of the word, but for people too,” he said. “Which is what our film is. A trippy whirlwind through people and places who embody the spirit of the boys and the song. Of seeing the word Fenian through a new lens.”
Thomas James and Kneecap filmed the video in West Belfast, where all three members are from. Highlighting the landscape and the people who call it home, it serves as a pointed backdrop to Kneecap’s signature blend of hip-hop, culture, and language.
“It was a blast,” James continued, “It was chaos. It was a fever dream of running around Ireland convincing people to pop a bally on and do something mental. Good times had by all.”
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