Kneecap’s Impact: Irish Language Gains Popularity with Youth

Fionntán De Brún, a literary historian and professor of Irish at Maynooth University, discussed the resurgence of the Irish language among young people in Ireland at the HeadRead festival in Tallinn, Estonia. He attributes this renewed interest to the hip-hop duo Kneecap, calling it the “Kneecap effect.”

De Brún, born in Belfast in 1969, focuses his work on 20th-century Irish-language literature and the connections between the language and his hometown. His debut novel, “Béal na Béiste” (translated to Estonian as “Koletise kõhus”), explores the Troubles in 1980s Ireland through the complex relationship between a former Nazi collaborator and an IRA fighter.

The conversation at HeadRead, conducted by translator Indrek Žis, delved into Irish history and current attitudes toward the Irish language. De Brún’s work and the growing popularity of artists like Kneecap suggest a potential shift in cultural identity for a new generation.