The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers bring their Dundalk folk songbook to Cambridge Corn Exchange in Cambridge on 20 October 2026. Formed by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy with their friend Sean McKenna, the group started as an acoustic trio reworking traditional Irish ballads in local pubs before growing into a larger live outfit. Their sound leans on close-harmony vocals, guitar and banjo, with a straight-ahead style that keeps the bite and humour of the original songs. Lyrics draw on popular tales and social history, mixing dry wit with everyday stories, while the arrangements carry a lived-in pub feel without nostalgia.

On stage, The Mary Wallopers move between rousing choruses and slow airs, slipping in original material alongside well-known trad numbers. The set can trace a line from their early EP A Mouthful of The Mary Wallopers (2019) to the self-titled debut (2022) and Irish Rock ’n’ Roll (2023), showing how their repertoire has widened without losing its rough edge. The group’s lockdown livestreams helped shape a communal, living-room spirit that now feeds into their shows, where voices and banjo lead the way and the audience becomes part of the chorus. Expect a night of Irish ballads played straight and loud, with stories, banter and tunes built for singing together.