The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers bring their Dundalk folk revival to O2 Academy Birmingham on 29 October 2026. Formed by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy with Sean McKenna, the band began as an acoustic trio digging into Irish ballads and grew into a fuller live outfit. Voices in unison, banjo and guitar up front, and the swing of pub tunes set the tone. Stories of work, love, mischief and social bite run through the lyrics, carried with dry humour and a plain, no-frills delivery.

The set blends reworked traditionals with originals from their self-titled debut and 2023 release Irish Rock ’n’ Roll, keeping arrangements tight and close to the grain of the songs. What started with homemade videos and lockdown streams now plays out in the room: call-and-response refrains, foot-forward rhythms and the communal feel of a backroom session. Expect a show that moves between sly storytelling and full-throated choruses, with the banjo leading the charge and the group’s collective voice pulling the crowd into the songs.