The Mary Wallopers

On 14 October 2026 at O2 City Hall Newcastle, The Mary Wallopers bring their Dundalk-rooted take on Irish folk to Northumberland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. Formed by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy with their friend Sean McKenna, the band began as an acoustic trio in local pubs, reviving ballads with unison vocals, guitar and banjo up front. Over time the lineup on stage has expanded, thickening the sound without losing the direct, fireside feel that shaped their early sessions.

Their live set moves between rowdy tavern airs and tender story-songs, where dry humour rubs shoulders with snapshots of everyday life and social bite. Traditional numbers are reimagined alongside originals drawn from A Mouthful of The Mary Wallopers (2019), their self-titled debut (2022) and Irish Rock ’n’ Roll (2023). Call-and-response, foot-stomp rhythms and singalong refrains keep the songs alive and shared with the room rather than pinned to the stage.

Homemade videos and lockdown livestreams first carried their music beyond Dundalk, and that DIY, community energy still underpins the show: close harmonies, banjo twang and stories that travel best when the crowd leans in.