#120 | Raft of the Medusa: The Pogues and London Irish Identities

In a way, a band like the Pogues had to form in London rather than on the island of Ireland itself, where they would’ve been primarily associated with their town or county rather than the entire Irish community, as they are. London’s anarchic punk scene in the late 70s and early 80s created an exciting opportunity for the Irish identity to express itself and Shane McGowan’s band ran with it, creating a body of work about exile, colonialism, injustice, war, love, toxic masculinty and loneliness. To this day póg mo thoin remains one of the best known Irish expresssions in the world, a tribute to how many people have connected with the band’s music.

In this week’s episode, Darach and Peadar are joined by Jennifer Quigley, the host of the I Love This Band podcast. She brings her rock historian skills to the table as we discuss the world that the Pogues emerged from, McGowan’s gradual and unlikely elevation to national treasure status, London Irish hybrid identities and some brilliant songs.

You can check out Jennifer’s own podcast at https://podtail.com/en/podcast/i-love-this-band/

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Get Kirsten Shiel art prints here: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/kirstenshiel/

Support for this episode comes from Foras na Gaeilge – https://www.forasnagaeilge.ie/

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