Are Kneecap still playing Glastonbury? Fate of Irish trio confirmed for festival

If you hadn't heard of Kneecap before the start of 2025, you're undoubtably all too familiar with them now, because the Irish hip-hop trio are at the centre of controversy that's seen them have gigs cancelled and festival appearances stripped from them.

The group, made up of Mo Chara (Liam Og O Hannaidh), Moglai Bap (Naoise O Caireallain) and DJ Provai (JJ O Dochartaigh), formed in 2017, and they haven't been afraid to make political references from the get-go.

After all, their name, Kneecap, is in reference to kneecapping, a common form of paramilitary punishment in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.

But it wasn't until the group began speaking up on the Israel-Hamas conflict late last year that they began making headlines.

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While police are now involved as a result - with Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) even facing terror charges - Kneecap have said they are facing a "co-ordinated smear campaign" after speaking out about "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".

"Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation's history", they said in a statement.

"Kneecap's message has always been - and remains - one of love, inclusion, and hope. This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs."

Most recently at London's Wide Awake festival, their members sparked up a 'Free Palestine' chant among the crowd.

However, off the back of the incident, they've had a number of gigs cancelled including an appearance at the Eden Project, and most recently, Scotland's TRNSMT festival.

"Officers have highlighted the potential reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event,” a spokesperson for Police Scotland said.

Will Kneecap still play at Glastonbury?

In our opinion, it's likely. Unlike a lot of other festivals with big, corporate sponsorships, Glastonbury prides itself on its openness surrounding political issues, and just last year, Banksy released a migrant life raft into the crowd during Idles' set, prompting one of the most-talked-about snippets of the night.

2024 also saw the introduction of Terminal 1, an immersive art installation celebrating migration - and demonstrating to festival goers the harsh reality of coming to the UK from overseas.

While it's known for its somewhat-left-wing stance, the Somerset festival plays home to Left Field each year, an area which sees politicians and speakers from all ends of the political spectrum debate out current world issues.

Censoring a group like Kneecap would undoubtedly ruffle a lot of feathers amongst this, particularly as this isn't their first and only controversy, and they still managed to play twice at the festival in 2024.

However, as the BBC is Glastonbury's broadcaster, it could be the case that they decide not to televise Kneecap's performance in a bid to remain impartial.

Kneecap are still listed as performing at the festival as things stand, and they're down to perform on Saturday, June 28.

Indy100 has contacted Glastonbury for further confirmation.

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