The Mary Wallopers: Packing a Punch

The Mary Wallopers are named after a boat that was named after a sex worker. No wonder why they come with a bit of edge…vocalist brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy talk to The Note about how punk and Irish folk can rouse a rabble and incite a bit of rebellion.

Words by Tyler Jenke | Photos by Sorcha Frances Ryder

Though they’re likely absent from everyday conversation, Irish folk outfit The Mary Wallopers have been sharing their modernised, punchy take on traditional balladry for five years now. With their popularity bolstered by lockdown performances throughout the COVID pandemic, the project has since spawned two acclaimed albums and sold out shows across the globe. 

However, when the seven-piece group first got together in their home of Dundalk (Northern Ireland) in 2019, it wasn’t to pursue fame and fortune, but rather to get free alcohol. 

“We’d always been interested in Irish music and ballads, but what made us start playing was that we had no money,” recalls multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Charles Hendy via Zoom. “We used to go into pubs in Dundalk and ask if they’d give us free drinks if we sang ballads in the corner. It was cheaper for them to give us money than to give us a drink, so they did – and now we’re going to Australia because of it.” 

Formed by Charles, his brother Andrew and close friend Sean McKenna (both on vocals and guitar), the group took their name from a rowboat in the Dundalk harbour, which was in turn named for a local sex worker. Soon, the trio expanded to seven members for their self-titled debut in 2022, which was followed by last year’s Irish Rock N Roll. 

Similarly expanding their repertoire from covers of Irish traditionals to penning their own rousing originals, the band’s debut album saw them shortlisted for Irish Album Of The Year in the Choice Music Prize – one of Ireland’s biggest industry awards. 

Despite a sound which channels traditional Irish folk through its use of Celtic instrumentation and lyrics which reference drink, devilry and everything in between, the group’s origins are far removed from the sound in which they found their fame. 

Charles and Andrew’s first project was the hip-hop outfit TPM (an acronym born of ‘Taxpayers’ Money’), which formed in 2015 and shared songs such as ‘All The Boys On The Dole’ and ‘Fuck RTÉ’ (the latter taking aim at Ireland’s national broadcaster). 

Taking their explicitly political, anti-capitalist viewpoints with them to The Mary Wallopers, the band soon found themselves drawing comparisons to bands like The Pogues thanks to their punk sensibilities. 

“It’s very easy to just notice that we have bass and drums and we’re playing ballads – and then compare us to the Pogues,” says Charles. “But we could be compared to a lot worse. When we were a three-piece, people used to compare us to The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners, but since we’ve got drums, then everyone’s now saying we’re like The Pogues. 

“We love The Pogues, but it’s all Irish folk music, so as far as we’re concerned, we’re going to sound like the other Irish folk bands that we’ve been inspired by as well.” 

Indeed, the group acknowledges such comparisons by describing themselves as ‘The Clancy Brothers meet John Lydon’, while namechecking other Irish influences such as Christy Moore and hometown favourite Jinx Lennon. However, it’s the rowdy genre of punk music that influences the lion’s share of their sound. 

“I think punk has been the single greatest influence on my life,” admits Charles. “Especially punk attitudes – the DIY attitudes of the punk scenes, from really old stuff to ’80s hardcore, where 15 and 16 year olds were going out on tour across the United States.” 

“I think it was more the attitude than anything,” adds Andrew. “It’s the thing of not having any resources and then just starting a band with whatever you have.
 It’s happened with every good music scene, from dancehall to hip-hop to jazz.” 

While The Mary Wallopers might not seem outwardly reminiscent of many of their punk idols (despite occasionally being categorised as ‘folk-punk’), they note that punk’s ethos of music as a tool of rebellion is the same as what the Irish have historically used music for. 

“Folk music and Irish songs have been used for rebellion for years, and people used to play the pipes when Irish people were fighting against the British,” notes Andrew. “They used to play the pipes sometimes in the middle of gun battles when they were massively [outnumbered]. 

“As far as we can see, music has always been a tool for rebellion, but punk music is a more contemporary reflection of that, I suppose.” 

Like some of the punk icons that influenced them, The Mary Wallopers have gone from being a small-time undertaking to gaining a wider fanbase via word-of-mouth and translating that into global fame. 

In 2023, the group took their sound to the world, playing not only across Europe, but in the United States as well. Despite the very Irish nature of their work, the group haven’t been surprised that their fanbase has grown so strongly on an international scale. 

“Irish music has always been popular and the elements of the music are actually just talking about the human condition,” says Charles. “They’re kind of universal songs. It’s like if you’re complaining about landlords, or paying your rent, or singing about going out drinking, or sex; people do all those things all over the world.” 

“I think it’s the same way that so many people around the world were able to relate to N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton,” adds Andrew. “They’re talking about very niche things, about living in Compton and how hard life was there. But for ordinary people, there’s struggles everywhere.” 

Australian fans will get a chance to experience The Mary Wallopers for the first time this May, with the band gracing Adelaide with a performance at The Gov on May 15. Though they admit to knowing little about Adelaide, they’re excited about performing in a city that occasionally flies under the radar. 

“Oftentimes when we’ve gone to different countries, the places that have a lot of hype about them are not as interesting to us as the places that are less talked about,” says Andrew. 

Though they also share some excitement about the prospect of rowdy Australian crowds and Australia’s strong folk music scene, the opportunity for them to visit Australia seems somewhat reminiscent of their earliest shows. Having started as a chance to trade music for free drinks, the band are doing it as a chance to see the world, and for Andrew and Charles to visit their sister in Australia. It’s advice they share with anyone willing to follow in their footsteps. 

“It’s one of the best scams there is!” says Charles. “If you feel like playing music, just start asking in pubs if they’ll give you a drink.” 

Catch The Mary Wallopers at The Gov on May 15. Tickets on sale now.

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