Lankum

Biography

Lankum is a contemporary Irish folk music group from Dublin that evolved from the experimental punk-folk duo Lynched, formed by brothers Ian and Daragh Lynch in the early 2000s. Originally performing as an "experimental-psychedelic-folk-punk-duo," the Lynch brothers released their debut album Where Did We Go Wrong? in 2003 on the independent label Psalm O'The Vine, which unexpectedly achieved international success and led to tours across Europe, Mexico, and America. After returning to Ireland and developing a deeper interest in Dublin's traditional music sessions, the brothers were joined by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Radie Peat and violinist Cormac MacDiarmada around 2012, transforming into the four-piece ensemble that records and performs today.

As Lankum, the band has achieved significant critical acclaim by synthesizing traditional Irish folk music with elements of drone, sludge, metal, and ambient music. Their discography includes Cold Old Fire (2014), Between the Earth and Sky (2017), The Livelong Day (2019), and False Lankum (2023), the latter of which garnered widespread critical recognition, Mercury Prize nomination, and numerous end-of-year accolades. The band's distinctive sound features four-part vocal harmonies combined with arrangements of uilleann pipes, concertina, Russian accordion, fiddle, and guitar, drawing from Dublin music-hall ditties, Traveller tradition ballads, traditional Irish and American dance tunes, and original compositions. In 2018, they were named Best Folk Group at the RTÉ Folk Music Awards, and they have won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year twice—in 2019 for The Livelong Day and in 2024 for False Lankum.

Lankum's artistic journey reflects their evolution from anti-authoritarian punk musicians to sophisticated interpreters of Irish traditional music, reimagined through a contemporary experimental lens. Their work challenges conventional boundaries of folk music by incorporating heavy, atmospheric production and unconventional arrangements while maintaining deep roots in Irish cultural traditions. The band's name change from Lynched to Lankum occurred after meeting producer John 'Spud' Murphy, as the members recognized that the former name's connotations were too specific to a "radical left-wing punk audience" and limited their international appeal. Today, Lankum represents a vital contemporary voice in Irish music, bridging traditional and experimental aesthetics.

Fun Facts

• Ian Lynch moved to London at age 19 to pursue music, spending a year street busking and living in squats before returning to Ireland to form Lynched with his brother Daragh.
• The band's formation as a four-piece was spontaneous and organic—when recording Cold Old Fire in 2014, the Lynch brothers invited Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat to play on just a few songs, but the collaboration worked so well that they decided to continue as a full band.
• The title track from Cold Old Fire became a signature song for the band and serves as a snapshot of Irish austerity, with visionary lyrics imagining Dublin as a giant drone and the Button Factory (the main Dublin dole office) distributing ashes to those who fell through society's cracks.
• The band's name change from Lynched to Lankum was motivated by international touring—they realized the former name's punk connotations were only understood by 'a really specific radical left-wing punk audience' and limited their global appeal.

Members

• Linda Badgley - violin
• Daragh Lynch - original, percussion
• Daragh Lynch - original, piano
• Daragh Lynch - guitar, original
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - double bass
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - fiddle
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - viola
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - banjo
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - percussion
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - piano
• Cormac Mac Diarmada - vibraphone
• Ian Lynch - concertina, original
• Ian Lynch - original, percussion
• Ian Lynch - original, uilleann pipes
• Ian Lynch - original, tin whistle
• Radie Peat - harmonium
• Radie Peat - guitar
• Radie Peat - concertina
• Radie Peat - harp
• Radie Peat - mellotron
• Radie Peat - organ
• Radie Peat - piano
• Radie Peat - bayan
• Radie Peat - electronic organ

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Planxty - Musical inspiration for developing interest in traditional music; the band listened to and drew stylistic influence from this pioneering Irish folk group (General influence on traditional music approach) [Early 2010s onwards]
• The Bothy Band - Musical inspiration for developing interest in traditional music; influenced the band's approach to blending traditional and contemporary elements (General influence on traditional music approach) [Early 2010s onwards]
• Joe Heaney - Historical influence on Dublin's traditional music scene; referenced as part of the cultural lineage of Irish folk music in Dublin pubs (Dublin traditional music legacy) [Historical reference]

Key Collaborators

• Ian Lynch - Co-founder and multi-instrumentalist; plays uilleann pipes, guitar, and other instruments (All Lankum albums; formerly Lynched) [2000-present]
• Daragh Lynch - Co-founder and multi-instrumentalist; plays guitar in DADGAD tuning and vocals (All Lankum albums; formerly Lynched) [2000-present]
• Radie Peat - Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist; joined the band around 2012 through Dublin's traditional music sessions; named Best Folk Singer at RTÉ Folk Music Awards 2018 (Cold Old Fire (2014), Between the Earth and Sky (2017), The Livelong Day (2019), False Lankum (2023), Live in Dublin (2024)) [2012-present]
• Cormac MacDiarmada - Violinist and multi-instrumentalist; joined the band around 2012 through Dublin's traditional music sessions (Cold Old Fire (2014), Between the Earth and Sky (2017), The Livelong Day (2019), False Lankum (2023), Live in Dublin (2024)) [2012-present]
• John 'Spud' Murphy - Producer who worked with the band and influenced their decision to change their name from Lynched to Lankum (Post-2014 productions) [Mid-2010s onwards]
• Danny Diamond - Engineer who recorded Cold Old Fire at the Irish Traditional Music Archive studio in Dublin (Cold Old Fire (2014)) [2014]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Master Crowley's (False Lankum)
2. Go Dig My Grave (False Lankum)
3. The Wild Rover (The Livelong Day)
4. Bear Creek (The Livelong Day)
5. The Young People (The Livelong Day)
6. Newcastle (False Lankum)
7. Cold Old Fire (Cold Old Fire)
8. What Will We Do When We Have No Money? (Between the Earth and Sky)
9. Clear Away in the Morning (False Lankum)
10. Netta Perseus (False Lankum)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #alternative-indie-rock, #celtic, #celtic-punk