Kneecap’s Mughlai Bap Mourns Father’s Passing Ahead of Belfast’s Biggest Show: ‘This Night is Dedicated to Him’

Kneecap’s Tribute to Their Late Father

Kneecap’s father Mughlai Bapa has passed away just before the band’s most significant performance in Belfast, and the group is determined to dedicate the gig “for him.”

• READ MORE: Kneecap Review: Punchy, bold and one of the best music biopics ever made

Remembering Gearóid Ó Cairealláin

According to a post by the hip-hop trio on social media, Gearóid Ó Cairealláin, 67, passed away on Friday (December 20). The group expressed: “He was an Irish language revolutionary, a social activist, a loving father, husband, and an inspiration to many. We are heartbroken.”

Kneecap is set to perform a headline concert at the SSE Arena in Belfast tonight (December 21), touted as the largest Irish language concert in the city’s history. “Nothing could make him prouder,” Nikap remarked. “Tonight is for him.”

Gearóid Ó Cairellán, father of Mughlai Bapa, died last night.

He was an Irish language revolutionary, a social activist, a loving father, husband, and an inspiration to many.

We are heartbroken. 💔

Tonight’s concert at the SSE Arena will be the largest Irish-language… pic.twitter.com/AAm5rkoI6i

— KNEE CUP (@KNEECAPCEOL) December 21, 2024

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam,” they concluded, which is a traditional Irish blessing translating to “May his soul be at the right hand of God.”

Irish news reports that O Cairellan died at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after a brief illness. Nearly two decades ago, he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Earlier this year, the film Patella chronicled the band’s unconventional rise to fame and featured Michael Fassbender’s Arlo Ó Cairealláin, a passionate advocate for Irish language and culture, who was the father of Naoise “Moghlai Bap” Ó Cairealláin, though he was not a direct representation of Gearóid Ó Cairealláin.

Patella was recently named by NME as the best film of 2024, describing it as: “Inspired by the trio’s experiences growing up in Belfast post-Troubles, this dark comedy, docudrama, and fictional origin story follows low-level drug dealers Mughlai and Moe as they navigate life, facing adversities from both Republicans and Loyalists. Ultimately, through a creative approach to their drug addiction, they discover their passion for music, forming Kneecap with a local schoolteacher. This film is the most captivating and humorous band biopic ever made.”

The film has been nominated for two Oscars – Best International Feature and Best Original Song – with the final list of nominees set to be announced on January 17.

Earlier this month, The Last secured seven wins at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), including a joint award for its performers.

This year, the group released their debut album, Fine Art, recognized as one of NME‘s albums of the year. NME commented, “Audacious, smart, countercultural: it’s everything you could wish for in a debut album.” They added, “The Belfast trio celebrates on ‘Fine Art’, introducing a fresh vocabulary of Irish terms in their jokes along with some of the most vibrant festival tunes of 2024. To the frustrated parents, we say: Tá fáilte romhat!

The group was also featured as a cover star by NME earlier this year. In an interview, they shared how they helped raise nearly £100,000 for a volunteer gym in the Aida refugee camp in Palestine, spread their message through high-profile TV appearances, and participated in a boycott of SXSW over its military sponsorship.