The Pogues

On 12 December 2026 at Gleneagle Arena in Killarney, The Pogues bring back their unmistakable blend of traditional Irish music and punk bite. Formed in early 80s London around Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer, the band cut its teeth as Pogue Mahone before fixing its signature on Red Roses for Me (1984) and Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985), produced by Elvis Costello. Fiddles, tin whistle, banjo and electric guitars drive songs that swing between rough-cut ballads, reworked traditionals and taut originals. With If I Should Fall from Grace with God (1988), their folk rock palette widened further, notably through collaborations with Kirsty MacColl, and the years that followed brought Peace and Love, Hell’s Ditch, then Waiting for Herb and Pogue Mahone, while the lineup shifted and the group kept its course on the road.

On stage, The Pogues lean into the celtic punk songbook that shaped their identity: fast reels with a street edge, waltzes with a bruised heart and choruses built for voices to rise together. A night in Killarney anchored in melody, pulse and stories that still hit close to the bone.