Following their debut EP in 2019, The Mary Wallopers (formed by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy and their friend Sean McKenna) left us thirsty – not releasing their self-titled debut album until October 2022. Since then, they have been touring like mad and picking up new fans across the globe. They played Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage this year and put on a great BBC backstage session hosted by Jo Whiley, who has become a big fan of their music.
This is all set to be taken to another level in 2023, with the band announcing their biggest UK tour to date and a brand new album, ‘Irish Rock N Roll,’ which is out on October 6th (pre-order it here).
Their first single, accompanied by a music video, is Wexford, a song written by Pecker Dunne. Dunne was from a family of Irish Traveller musicians, originally from County Wexford. His father played fiddle, and while Pecker Dunne was best known for the banjo, he also played fiddle, guitar and melodeon…he had an unforgettable voice that could convey both raw and tender moments in a song. While he was known for busking at sporting fixtures at home, he also played abroad, including in New York City, alongside The Dubliners, who played many of his songs.
In 2016 when I interviewed folk singer Anne Briggs, she recalled the time she spent living in Ireland and busking with Pecker Dunne:
“I travelled and busked with Irish Travelling people on several occasions over the years. With Mick and Christy Dunne (brothers) in Cork City (we had a pitch outside the Bank of Ireland), Pecker Dunne in Co. Kerry and various towns and villages in the middle of Ireland. Others I sang with and listened to in Dublin, there was a big Travellers camp on the outskirts of the city where there were weekly sessions, and they were really good. There was a stunning singer called John Riley who had a wonderful repertoire of Big ballads, complete versions, and he had an ancient style of singing that had been untouched by the popular and Americanised styles that affected many a good singer.” Read the full interview here.
Of all his songs, Wexford is probably one of his most tender offerings. Directed by Graham Patterson, the accompanying video, which features Andrew Hendy playing the guitar, is a beautiful tribute, enhanced by old footage of Dunne in the background. I imagine this will be quite an emotional number when performed on their upcoming tour (details below). It’s also our Song of the Day.
The Mary Wallopers’ Andrew Hendy on Wexford:
“The song was written by Pecker Dunne, who was a travelling musician. He brought so many songs into circulation over the years he played, you’ll have heard the Dubliners playing a lot of his songs. He came from a line of travelling musicians. His father was a fiddle player and his mother was a tightrope walker, the whole family’s trade was entertainment. Wexford is one of the most beautiful songs in the ballad tradition. He wrote it about growing up in Wexford. It touches on his upbringing and on the grief that travellers suffer in Ireland which is something that’s not really talked about much. It’s an incredible, emotional song. We’ve always gravitated towards that side of folk music – the most accessible side of music, the kind you can just stand on the street singing. Pecker Dunne wrote so many funny songs, which makes it even more hard hitting when he’d sing a song like this.”
Irish Rock’n’Roll was recorded at Black Mountain Studios by David Noonan and features:
1. The Bauld O Donoghue
2. The Holy Ground
3. Rakes of Poverty
4. The Rich Man and the Poor Man
5. The Idler
6. Madam I’m A Darlin’
7. Vultures of Christmas
8. The Turfman from Ardee
9. Hot Asphalt
10. Wexford
11. The Blarney Stone
12. Rothsea O
13. Gates of Heaven
The Mary Wallopers Tour Dates & Festival Appearances
Fri 21 Jul Tramlines, Sheffield
Sat 22 Jul Latitude, Suffolk
Sun 23 Jul Truck, Oxford
Fri 28 Jul Belladrum Tartan Heart, Inverness-shire
Sat 29 Jul Kendal Calling. Lowther
Sun 30 Jul Deer Shed, Thirsk
Thu 10 Aug Boomtown, Winchester
Sat 12 Aug Guinness Irish Festival, Sion
Fri 18 Aug Beautiful Days, Exeter
Fri 25 Aug Victorious, Portsmouth
Sat 26 Aug Tonder Festival
Fri 1 Sep End of the Road, Salisbury
Sat 2 Sep Moseley Folk & Arts Festival
Sun 3 Sep Electric Picnic, County Laois
Following the release of Irish Rock ’n’ Roll they will play an extensive UK/Ireland tour beginning in the autumn:
Wed 8 Nov Southampton Engine Rooms
Thu 9 Nov Bristol Trinity
Fri 10 Nov London O2 Forum Kentish Town
Sat 11 Nov Manchester Academy 2
Sun 12 Nov Cardiff Tramshed
Wed 15 Nov Folkestone Quarterhouse
Thu 16 Nov Oxford The Bullingdon
Fri 17 Nov Brighton CHALK
Sat 18 Nov Liverpool O2 Academy Liverpool
Sun 19 Nov Norwich Epic Studios
Wed 22 Nov Exeter Phoenix
Thu 23 Nov Wolverhampton Wulfrun
Fri 24 Nov Northampton Roadmender
Sat 25 Nov Sheffield The Leadmill
Thu 7 Dec Dublin Vicar Street
Fri 8 Dec Dublin Vicar Street
Sat 9 Dec Belfast The Telegraph Building
Wed 13 Dec Edinburgh The Liquid Room
Thu 14 Dec Dundee Fat Sams
Fri 15 Dec Aberdeen Lemon Tree
Sat 16 Dec Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom
Sat 23 Dec Cork City Hall
Tickets go on sale on Friday, 21st July, at 9.30am; a fan pre-sale is open from Wednesday, 19th July, at 9.30 via SEE Tickets for anyone pre-ordering the album.
Links here: https://linktr.ee/themarywallopers