News
8 October 2026 – The Mary Wallopers Bring Irish Folk Disorder to Australia and New Zealand in 2027
By Editorial Team - October 8, 2026
Summary
Dundalk folk-punk outfit The Mary Wallopers announce their May 2027 Australasian tour including their debut New Zealand date in Christchurch.
Key Facts
- Dundalk folk-punk six-piece The Mary Wallopers announce May 2027 Australasian tour.
- Includes their inaugural New Zealand appearance in Christchurch followed by 4 Australian capital cities.
- Tour supports James Skelly-produced album Paddywhackery featuring singles Kit Kat Club and The Big Mixer.
- Entities: The Mary Wallopers, Charles Hendy, Andrew Hendy, Sean McKenna, Paddywhackery, James Skelly, The Coral, Christchurch, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Dundalk
- Tags: the-mary-wallopers, paddywhackery, folk-punk, irish-folk, charles-hendy, andrew-hendy, australia-tour-2027, dundalk
Dundalk folk-punk collective The Mary Wallopers have announced a May 2027 tour across Australia and New Zealand, including their first-ever New Zealand performance. The run begins in Christchurch on May 15 before continuing through Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, bringing their unvarnished take on Irish folk to southern hemisphere stages.
Led by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy alongside Sean McKenna, the six-piece have developed a formidable international reputation for performances that combine traditional Irish balladry with political commentary, irreverent humour and the physical energy of a punk show. Their latest album Paddywhackery, produced by James Skelly of The Coral, pushes the band's sound further toward rock without abandoning its folk foundations. Songs including "Kit Kat Club," "Crowns Of England" and "The Big Mixer" address drinking culture, establishment politics and working-class realities.
The Mary Wallopers' rapid rise demonstrates that heritage music need not become polite or academically preserved to remain culturally relevant. The forthcoming tour follows an intensely busy run of UK and North American festivals, bringing their communal singalongs to an expanding global audience. Anyone expecting a quiet evening of restrained nostalgia will quickly find themselves swept into a full-blown party.