The Mahones

The Mahones are a Canadian Irish punk band from Kingston, Ontario, formed in 1990 by Fintan “Finny” McConnell and Barry Williams. They are associated with celtic punk and are widely described as early pioneers of Irish punk, with their debut arriving in 1990 before many other modern bands in the style. The group remains active and has had a changing lineup over time, with McConnell and Williams as the main constant members.

Style and influences

The band’s sound sits within celtic punk and punk, with folk and Irish elements. Their stated influences include The Clash, The Pogues, The Who, The Waterboys and Hüsker Dü.

Releases

The Mahones have released ten albums: Draggin’ The Days, Rise Again, The Hellfire Club Sessions, Here Comes Lucky, Paint The Town Red - The Best Of, Live At The Horseshoe, Take No Prisoners, The Irish Punk Collection, Whiskey Devils - A Tribute To The Mahones and The Black Irish Album. They also issue one very rare cassette, Clear The Way.

The Black Irish Album is identified as their seventh studio album and is described as critically acclaimed. It is associated with a tribute album released alongside it in 2011, featuring 20 international bands covering Mahones songs.

Touring and collaborations

The Mahones tour internationally and share stages with a wide range of acts, including The Dropkick Murphys, Stiff Little Fingers, Shane MacGowan and The Popes, Billy Bragg, Chuck Ragan, The UK Subs, Sick Of It All, The Defects, Agnostic Front, The Buzzcocks, D.O.A., Against Me, The Tragically Hip, The Damned, Suicidal Tendencies, The Prodigy, Gwar, Skunk Anansie, Tricky, Blue Rodeo, Steve Earle, The Alarm, Sinéad O’Connor, The Street Dogs, Roger Miret and The Disasters, Flogging Molly, Spirit Of The West, The Dubliners, Christy Moore, The Band and Van Morrison. Terry Woods and Phil Chevron of The Pogues join the band on tour in 2003, and Scruffy Wallace of The Dropkick Murphys appears on stage with them for a few shows in Toronto and Montreal as a tin whistle player.

Film and memorial project

The Mahones’ music appears in several international Hollywood films. Their track “Paint The Town Red 2010” features in The Fighter, and they co-write and record the title track for Celtic Pride under the name Wally High/The Mahones. Their song “100 Bucks” appears in Dog Park, and “A Little Bit of Love” appears in Ecstasy, based on Irvine Welsh’s book.

In 1999, bassist Joe Chithalen dies in Amsterdam shortly after a concert after accidentally eating food containing peanuts, to which he is allergic. Soon afterwards, Wally High establishes the Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Library, also known as Joe’s M.I.L.L., in Kingston.