Sally Rooney, Fontaines DC, Kneecap… Why are Irish artists particularly committed to Palestine?

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The writer announced her financial support for Palestine Action this week, and the two bands, scheduled to perform Sunday at Rock-en-Seine, are using each concert to champion the cause. All are part of a long tradition of rebellion, particularly linked to the historic struggle against the British.

Rapper Mo Chara (right), charged with a terrorism offense for waving a Hezbollah flag during a concert, is surrounded by other members of the band Kneecap as he leaves court on Wednesday, August 20, in London. (Joanna Chan/AP)

by Juliette Démas , correspondent in London

On the stages of the Rock-en-Seine festival, Sunday, August 24, two Irish bands will perform that have garnered attention for their pro-Gaza stance. First, the musicians of Fontaines DC , who display the message "Israel is committing genocide" on stage, and have their audiences repeat "Free, free, Palestine!" during their festival tour. Then, the rappers of the Northern Irish trio Kneecap, who make each appearance a platform for the Palestinian cause. Their performance was maintained by the festival (which lost a grant from the city of Saint-Cloud for this reason), despite the call from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France to cancel their program, and the warning

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