Kneecap's New Film shines light on Irish Language

The Irish-language movie Kneecap, which is described as "the origin story of the riotous and ground-breaking" Belfast rap group of the same name, is scheduled to debut in Irish theaters later this year. The autobiographical movie also took home the coveted Audience Award at the esteemed Sundance Film Festival.

Kneecap is a 2019 drama set in West Belfast that tells the story of the formation of the group, which included DJ Próvaí, Móglaí Bap, and Mo Chara, and their subsequent journey to "change the sound of Irish music forever." It also stars Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Jessica Reynolds and Fionnuala Flaherty.

When Kneecap released “CEARTA” in 2017, which is the Irish word for “rights”, the group's popularity has grown both in Ireland and abroad. Kneecap has become increasingly more popular in England and Scotland thanks to its distinctive sound and hip-hop beats combined with the Irish language, an essential component of this revival. They even made their US TV debut on The Tonight Show presented by Jimmy Fallon back in March.

In 1840, there were more than four million Irish speakers. By 1870, it had dropped to less than a million and has decreased ever since. But the good news is that Gaeilge is once again on the rise, despite the fact that numerous political and economic factors contributed to the Irish language's decline.

Since the 12th century, English has dominated Ireland as a result of British colonisation. Irish people started to perceive English as being out of touch with modern life, while English became the language of opportunity, advancement, and employment. However, some areas of the island still saw people speaking Irish, and the 1970s saw a increase in the number of Irish-language schools, which gave rise to new generations who saw the language with pride and enthusiasm rather than resistance and shame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB2LsoZOQpU

Kneecap opens in Irish cinemas on 8th August 2024 and is proudly supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland.