In Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge), “íorónta” means ”ironic”. This is the way the Irish trio Chasing Abbey called their newest single, released on October 23rd. It is a critique of colonialism and its paradoxes, motivated by the recent events linked to Mo Chara, rapper of the Irish hip hop group KNEECAP. With folk aspects brought in by the use of a banjo (Ronan Bell), paired with a guitar (Jonathan Byrne) and drums for a more contemporary style, as well as its mix of Gaeilge and English, the song does not fail to convey the native spirit of Ireland, as well as current worldly geopolitical matters.
At the very moment the vocalist, Ted Conway, starts singing, one cannot help but think about the universality of the song. “They send you to the gallows, all that remains is your soul,” directly echoes the pain endured by all colonised peoples, which is engraved in the Irish collective memory. It also remains a very contemporary issue in the world, as highlighted in the lyrics that follow in the pre-chorus: “And it’s hard to shake – it’s a deep-rooted thing”. The next words then emphasise the important role of music when it comes to celebrating and perpetuating culture: “We only express it when we dance and we sing”. Right after the chorus starts, which is primarily in Gaeilge: “Tóg an teanga, Tóg an talamh, Scrois an cultúr, Scrois na daoine” (Take the language, Take the land, Erase the culture, Erase the people); an accusation directed at the oppressor, followed by the striking words “Coilíneachas (colonialism) turns all things to dust, and those who oppose are called sceimhlitheoirí (terrorists)”. Here, Chasing Abbey underlines the paradox and hypocrisy of the colonisers, who are portraying the victims as the villains while taking their heritage and culture away.
The second verse acknowledges the fact that the perpetrators are a small group of people rather than the masses, but still emphasises the visceral and lasting pain of seeing their culture destroyed: “I know it’s only a couple; Guilty of all the bad deeds, Still it hits different when I see; History unfold on repeat”. After that, the pre-chorus and chorus are repeated again; the words “shlíomadóir” (hypocrite) and “íorónta” are sung sixteen times each throughout the song, strongly emphasising the message of the song.
In the end, Chasing Abbey succeeded in offering us a catchy and reflective song critiquing colonialism in all its forms and times, which at the same time contributes to perpetuating a culture and, most of all, a language that is endangered in a world seeking universality and conformity. And good news for the fans; they have released two songs tackling the same subjects before this one: ‘Arís Is Arís’ and ‘Gorta’. They are also going on tour this December, with seven dates throughout the UK and Ireland!
Written by: Shan Gosselin
Edited by: Mandy Huibregtsen
