Lankum

Leaving school at the age of 19, multi-instrumentalist Ian Lynch moved to London and spent a year street busking and living in squats. Upon returning to Ireland, he learned that his brother Daragh Lynch had begun learning to play the guitar, and the pair soon started writing songs together: "We started writing these really puerile half-joke, anti-authoritarian punk songs, and one that was in the style of David Bowie, about destroying the government in a cosmic way."{{cite web|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/interview/lankum-thats-the-circumstances-that-brought-about-us-in-the-band-grim-but-having-quite-a-good-time/|title=Lankum: "That's the circumstances that brought about us in the band… Grim, but having quite a good time" |work=Loud & Quiet|last=Kinney|first=Fergal|date=December 17, 2023|access-date=December 18, 2023}}

Named after the brothers' surname, the duo began performing and recording under the name Lynched. Their 2003 debut album, Where Did We Go Wrong?, was released on the independent label, Psalm O’The Vine, and became a small success, allowing the pair to tour: "We did a few gigs around Europe; crusty punk festivals, and then a tour of Mexico and America for three months. I was 23, and it was fucking mad."

The brothers deepened their interest in the many Irish traditional music sessions taking place in Dublin's pubs and bars, with Ian Lynch noting that this was "one of the most inspiring and influential things for Lankum, there would be no Lankum if it was not for the sessions." At these sessions the pair met singer and multi-instrumentalist Radie Peat and violinist Cormac MacDiarmada.

The four core members of the band came together through mutual unemployment and the connections made from playing at the sessions. Radie Peat noted, "That’s the circumstances that brought about us in the band: a lot of time, not enough money, on the dole. Trying to find something to do with your time and playing a lot of music. Grim, but not that grim. Grim, but having quite a good time."

The band released their debut album as a four-piece Cold Old Fire (2014) under the original name, Lynched. The album started as a recording by the original duo of the Lynch brothers, with Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat joining the band officially during the sessions: "I just remember it clicking so well that we were like, shall we just ask them to play on the whole album? Before we knew it we were a four-piece band. It came together so well and so quickly." The album was financed in part by a Deis recording grant from the Arts Council Ireland.{{cite web|title=Who we funded|work=Arts Council Ireland|url=https://www.artscouncil.ie/funding-decisions/?&Fund=Deis%20recording%20award&Year=2013&Location=340#search|accessdate=22 June 2019}}

In October 2016 they announced in a statement that they were changing their name to Lankum to avoid associations with the practice of lynching. The statement read: "We will not continue to work under our current name while the systemic persecution and murder of black people in the USA continues."{{cite web|date=16 January 2017|title=We have changed our name|url=https://lynchedmusic.com/news/|work=Lynched official website|accessdate=28 October 2019|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028100419/https://lynchedmusic.com/news/|archive-date=2019-10-28}} The name Lankum comes from the folk ballad "False Lankum", as sung by the Irish traveller and folk singer John Reilly.

In 2017, the band signed to Rough Trade Records and recorded their album Between the Earth and Sky, to analogue tape with producer/ engineer Julie McLarnon, before recording the final track "the Granite Gaze", and mixing the album with producer John "Spud" Murphy in Guerrilla Studios, Dublin. It was released on 27 October 2017 and subsequently nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Mojo named it folk 'album of the year' 2017.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

In 2019, the band recorded The Livelong Day with producer/engineer John "Spud" Murphy in the Meadows recording studio, Wicklow and in Guerrilla Studios, Dublin. It was released on 25 October 2019 and went on to win the RTÉ Choice Prize 2019.

In 2019, Lankum's video for "The Young People", directed by filmmaker Bob Gallagher,{{Cite web|date=19 November 2019|title=Bob Gallagher and Lankum win Best Irish Music Video at Irish Film Festival London|url=https://www.imro.ie/industry-news/bob-gallagher-and-lankum-win-best-irish-music-video-at-irish-film-festival-london/|website=Imro.ie}} won Best Irish Music Video Award at the Irish Film Festival in London, England.

In 2023, Lankum were nominated for the Mercury Prize for their fourth album, False Lankum. They said about the prize: “It’s pretty crazy, considering where we started off twenty years ago as a joke band playing at parties and squats…”. When asked why they thought this album had been spotted or picked up, they said: "I think it might be the first time we’ve fully nailed the sound that we’ve been going for over the last few albums…it took a couple of decades". Lankum lost the award to the Ezra Collective.{{Cite news |title=Lankum miss out on 2023 Mercury music prize to British jazz group Ezra Collective |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2023/09/07/lankum-miss-out-on-2023-mercury-music-prize-to-british-jazz-group-ezra-collective/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Lankum played three sold out concerts at Dublin's Vicar Street, 29th - 31st May 2023.{{Cite web |title=Live Report: Lankum's captivating and chilling performance at Vicar Street |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/live-report-lankums-captivating-and-chilling-performance-at-vicar-street-22971019 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Hot Press |language=en}} These were recorded and released as the album Live in Dublin in 2024. The concerts were also broadcast in a RTÉ Radio 1 programme, Gig on One broadcast 13th August 2023.{{Cite web |title=Gig on One - Lankum |url=https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/11554991/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=RTÉ |date=13 August 2023 |language=en}}

In November 2023, a Lankum concert in Germany was cancelled because of pro-Palestine statements made by the band.{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Niamh |title=Lankum gig in Germany cancelled due to the group's support for Palestine |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/lankum-gig-in-germany-cancelled-due-to-the-groups-support-for-palestine-22997253 |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Hotpress}} The album won the 2024 RTÉ Choice Music Prize.{{Cite news |title=Folk band Lankum win RTÉ Choice Music album of year |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2024/03/07/folk-band-lankum-win-rte-choice-music-album-of-year/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}

In May 2024, Lankum's album False Lankum was nominated for the Best Album Ivor Novello Award.{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Mark |date=2024-04-23 |title=Nominations announced for The Ivors with Amazon Music 2024 |url=https://ivorsacademy.com/news/nominations-announced-for-the-ivors-with-amazon-music-2024/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=The Ivors Academy |language=en-GB}}

Their music has been characterised as "a younger, darker Pogues with more astonishing power".{{cite web|last=Rogers|first=Jude|date=18 October 2018|title=Lankum review – dark, raucous poetry from Irish folk miscreants|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/18/lankum-review-dark-raucous-poetry-from-irish-folk-miscreants|work=The Guardian|authorlink=Jude Rogers|accessdate=28 October 2019}} Reviewing their third album The Livelong Day (2019) for The Guardian, Jude Rogers described it as "a folk album influenced by the ambient textures of Sunn O))) and Swans, plus the sonic intensity of Xylouris White and My Bloody Valentine".{{cite web|last=Rogers|first=Jude|date=18 October 2019|title=Lankum: The Livelong Day review – the Irish folk songbook uprooted|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/18/lankum-the-livelong-day-review|work=The Guardian|accessdate=28 October 2019}}

Radie Peat and Lankum's producer John "Spud" Murphy are both members of the band ØXN, along with singer-songwriter and composer Katie Kim and Eleanor Myler.{{Cite web |last=Byrne |first=Niall |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Radie Peat, Katie Kim, John 'Spud' Murphy & Eleanor Myler start new band ØXN |url=https://nialler9.com/radie-peat-katie-kim-john-spud-murphy-eleanor-myler-start-new-band-oxn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602170951/https://nialler9.com/radie-peat-katie-kim-john-spud-murphy-eleanor-myler-start-new-band-oxn/ |archive-date=2023-06-02 |website=Nialler9}} The band released their debut album, CYRM, in 2023 to critical acclaim.{{cite web|last=Rogers|first=Jude|date=27 October 2013|title=ØXN: CYRM review – Irish folk debut full of unsettling dark magic|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/27/oxn-cyrm-review-claddagh-lankum|work=The Guardian|accessdate=21 January 2024}}

Ian Lynch hosts and produces a monthly podcast, Fire Draw Near, which "investigates Irish traditional music and song in all of its myriad forms". A companion compilation album, featuring his discoveries, was released in 2021 on Rough Trade Recordings.{{cite web | url=https://shop.roughtraderecords.com/release/345830-various-artists-fire-draw-near-an-anthology-of-irish-traditional-song-and-music | title=Various Artists - Fire Draw Near (An Anthology of Irish Traditional Song and Music). Rough Trade | date=8 October 2021 }}

Ian released a solo album ...And Take the Black Worm With Me under the name "One Leg One Eye" in 2022 which came about during lockdown and has performed live with George Brennan.{{cite web|last=Clarke|first=Patrick|date=6 March 2024|title=Embrace The Worm: An Interview With One Leg One Eye|url=https://thequietus.com/interviews/ian-lynch-lankum-one-leg-one-eye-interview/|work=The Quietus|accessdate=21 June 2024}} Ian Lynch's soundtrack for Paul Duane’s film All You Need Is Death was released in 2024 under his own name.

Cormac MacDiarmada and Ruth Clinton from Landless play music and produce videos together as Poor Creature.{{cite web|last=Gallacher|first=Alex|date=10 August 2022|title=ENew Project from Ruth Clinton (Landless) & Cormac MacDiarmada (Lankum) – Poor Creature|url=https://klofmag.com/2022/08/ruth-clinton-cormac-macdiarmada-poor-creature/|work=KLOF Mag|accessdate=23 June 2024}} They have been joined by John Dermody from The Jimmy Cake.{{cite web|title=Poor Creature Instagram|url=https://www.instagram.com/poor_creature_music//|work=poor_creature_music|accessdate=23 June 2024}} They have a track on the compilation The Planet That You're On.

Cormac MacDiarmada and producer John "Spud" Murphy worked with Wild Beasts vocalist and bass guitarist Tom Fleming on his second solo album, Endless Rain, released under the name One True Pairing. The album was recorded in Dublin and released on Domino in October 2024.

Daragh Lynch has joined forces with Iona Zajac to record the song "The Burning of Auchindoun"{{cite web|title=Rosa Zajac and Lankum's Daragh Lynch join forces on 'The Burning of Auchindoun'|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/rosa-zajac-and-lankums-daragh-lynch-join-forces-on-the-burning-of-auchindoun-22866724|work=Hot Press|accessdate=23 June 2024}} and performed together for Tradition Now in 2022.{{cite web|title=Tradition Now: Iona Zajac and Daragh Lynch|url=https://journalofmusic.com/listing/20-04-22/tradition-now-iona-zajac-and-daragh-lynch|work=The Journal of Music|accessdate=23 June 2024}} He has also done a number of solo performances, including headlining the music for the Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin in 2024.{{cite web|title=Jeremy Corbyn set to speak at Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin this weekend|url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/jeremy-corbyn-set-to-speak-at-robert-tressell-festival-in-dublin-this-weekend-23022271|work=Hot Press|accessdate=23 June 2024}}

Radie Peat and Cormac MacDiarmada play music together as Rue,{{cite web|last=Cagney-Murphy|first=Will|date=9 February 2017|title=17 For '17: Rue|url=https://thethinair.net/2017/02/17-for-17-rue/|work=The Thin Air|accessdate=6 January 2025}} including a version of Katie Cruel{{Citation|title=Rue :: Katie Cruel| date=6 October 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SHCTbNWyJs|language=en|access-date=2025-01-06}} which later appeared on The Livelong Day.

file:DM248 - Radie Peat (33252643525).jpg

Current members

• Ian Lynch – vocals, uilleann pipes, concertina, tin whistle, percussion, tape loops (2000–present)
• Daragh Lynch – vocals, guitar, percussion, piano (2000–present)
• Cormac Mac Diarmada – vocals, fiddle, viola, banjo, double bass, vibraphone, piano, percussion (2013–present)
• Radie Peat – vocals, bayan, concertina, harmonium, organ, piano, electric organ, harp, moog pedals, mellotron (2013–present)

Additional live musicians

• John Dermody – drums, percussion (2023–present)

Former members

• Cian Lawless – Lankum's manager and an early member of the band; wrote "Cold Old Fire"

Studio albums

• Where Did We Go Wrong?! (2003){{Citation|title=Lynched - Tommy Ryan| date=20 October 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WxWt9__Mcc|language=en|access-date=2021-06-21}} – as Lynched (only Ian and Daragh Lynch) {{ref label|a|NB}}
• Cold Old Fire (2014) – as Lynched{{Cite web|last1=Posted by Tradconnect Reviews on June 23|first1=2014 at 12:30|last2=Blog|first2=View|title=Album Review - Lynched / Cold Old Fire|url=https://tradconnect.com/profiles/blogs/album-review-lynched-cold-old-fire|access-date=2021-06-21|website=tradconnect.com|language=en}}
• Between the Earth and Sky (Rough Trade, 2017){{cite news |first=Jude|last=Rogers|title=Lankum: Between the Earth and Sky review – brilliant, raw, detonating folk |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/26/lankum-between-the-earth-and-sky-review-brilliant-raw-detonating-folk |accessdate=28 October 2019 |work=The Guardian|date=27 October 2017}}{{Cite web|title=Between the Earth and Sky, by Lankum|url=https://lankum.bandcamp.com/album/between-the-earth-and-sky|access-date=2021-07-05|website=Lankum}}
• The Livelong Day (Rough Trade, 2019){{Cite web|title=The Livelong Day, by Lankum|url=https://lankum.bandcamp.com/album/the-livelong-day|access-date=2024-06-22|website=Lankum}}
• False Lankum (Rough Trade, 2023){{Cite web|title=False Lankum, by Lankum|url=https://lankum.bandcamp.com/album/false-lankum|access-date=2024-06-22|website=Lankum}}

Live albums

• Live in Dublin (Rough Trade, 2024){{Cite web|title=Live in Dublin, by Lankum|url=https://lankum.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-dublin|access-date=2024-06-22|website=Lankum}}

Singles

• What Will We Do When We Have No Money (Rough Trade, File, FLAC, Single, 2017){{Cite web|title=Lankum – What Will We Do When We Have No Money|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/10849274-Lankum-What-Will-We-Do-When-We-Have-No-Money|access-date=2024-06-22|website=Discogs|date=13 September 2017 }}
• Lullaby (Loud And Quiet, Flexi-disc, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, 2023) Included with Loud and Quiet magazine, Issue 162.{{Cite web|title=Lankum – Lullaby|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/29015935-Lankum-Lullaby|access-date=2024-06-22|website=Discogs|date=16 November 2023 }}

Other releases

• From Here: Then to Now (From Here Records, 2016) - with Stick in the Wheel. Download and a 24 page newspaper with articles about May Day origins and both bands talk about their song choice, and interview each other.{{Cite web|title=From Here: Then to Now - split release with Lynched|url=https://stickinthewheel.bandcamp.com/merch/from-here-then-to-now-split-release-with-lynched|access-date=2024-06-21}}
• The Planet That You're On (Uncut cover CD, 2023) Uncut compilation curated by Lankum.{{Cite web|title=The Planet That You're On: inside Lankum's Uncut CD|date=13 October 2023 |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/the-planet-that-youre-on-introducing-lankums-uncut-cd-143972/|access-date=2024-06-21}}

{{awards table}}

|+Mercury Prize awards and nominations

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || Album of the Year || {{nominated}} ||{{cite web |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2023/07/27/mercury-music-prize-2023-irish-folk-band-lankum-nominated-for-album-of-the-year/ |title= Mercury music prize 2023: Irish folk band Lankum nominated for album of the year |website= irishtimes.com |access-date= 10 July 2023}}

|-

{{end}}

{{awards table}}

|+RTÉ Choice Music Prize awards and nominations

|align="center" | 2017 || Between the Earth and Sky || Album of the Year || {{nominated}} ||{{cite web |url= https://www.joe.ie/music/2017-choice-music-prize-618833 |title= The winners of the 2017 Irish song and album of the year revealed at the Choice Music Prize|last= Lanigan|first= Michael|website= JOE.ie|date= 9 March 2018|access-date= 10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2019 || The Livelong Day || Album of the Year || {{won}} ||{{cite web |url=http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/2020/03/05/winners-rte-choice-music-prize-2019 |title= Winners – RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2019|website= choicemusicprize.ie|publisher= RTÉ|access-date= 10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || Lankum || Artist of the Year || {{nominated}} ||{{cite web |url= https://www.hotpress.com/music/the-five-nominees-for-the-choice-music-prize-irish-artist-of-the-year-have-been-announced-23001964 |title= The five nominees for the Choice Music Prize Irish Artist of the Year have been announced|website= hotpress.com|access-date= 12 January 2024}}

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || Go Dig My Grave || Song of the Year || {{nominated}} ||{{cite web |url= http://www.hotpress.com/music/choice-music-prize-shortlist-for-irish-song-of-the-year-revealed-23002193 |title= Choice Music Prize shortlist for Irish Song of the Year revealed |website= hotpress.com|access-date= 12 January 2024}}

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || Album of the Year || {{won}} ||{{cite web |url= https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cmat-kojaque-and-lankum-among-10-shortlisted-for-rte-choice-music-prize-irish-album-of-the-year/a764527700.html |title= CMAT, Kojaque and Lankum among 10 shortlisted for RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year|website= independent.ie|date= 8 January 2024|access-date= 12 January 2024}}

|-

{{end}}

{{awards table}}

|+Awards and nominations at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards

|align="center" | 2018 || Lankum || Best Folk Group || {{won}} ||{{cite news |date= 27 October 2018|title= Winners of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards revealed|url= https://www.rte.ie/culture/2018/1025/1006624-winners-of-the-rte-radio-1-folk-awards-revealed/|work= RTÉ |access-date=10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2018 || Radie Peat || Best Folk Singer || {{won}}||

|-

|align="center" | 2020 || Lankum || Best Folk Group || {{won}}||{{cite news |date= 27 November 2020|title= RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards winners announced|url= https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/1126/1180397-rte-radio-1-folk-awards-winners-announced/|work= RTÉ |access-date=10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2020 || Radie Peat || Best Folk Singer || {{won}}||

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || Lankum || Best Folk Group || {{won}}||

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || Best Folk Album || {{won}}||

|-

{{end}}

{{awards table}}

|+Awards and nominations at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards

|align="center" | 2016 || Lynched || Best Group || {{nom}}|| {{cite web| title= Lankum (formerly Lynched)| url= https://theliveroom.info/show/lankum-lynched/| website= The Live Room| access-date= 10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2016 || Cold Old Fire || Best Album || {{nom}}||

|-

|align="center" | 2016 || Lynched || Horizon Award || {{nom}}||

|-

|align="center" | 2018 || Lankum || Best Group || {{won}} || {{cite news| date= | url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5gGtf8BHf9QT0lYDDy4Mtnn/award-winners| title= Award Winners|work= BBC|access-date= 10 July 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2018 || The Granite Gaze || Best Original Song || {{won}}||

|-

{{end}}

{{awards table}}

|+Other notable accolades

|align="center" | 2019 || The Livelong Day || NPR Music's 25 Best Albums of 2019 || 8th

|-

|align="center" | 2019 || The Livelong Day || MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2019 || 58th ||{{cite web |url= https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1270-mojos-75-best-albums-of-2019/ |title= MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2019 |access-date= 29 December 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2020 || Lankum || The Irish Times 50 Best Irish Acts In Order || 8th

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || The Mercury Prize || Shortlisted ||{{cite web |url= https://www.mercuryprize.com/2023-shortlist |title= 2023 Shortlist |access-date= 29 December 2023}}

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || The Guardian 50 Best Albums of 2023 || 1st ||{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/22/the-50-best-albums-of-2023-no-1-lankum-false-lankum |title= The 50 best albums of 2023, No 1 – Lankum: False Lankum |newspaper= The Guardian |date= 22 December 2023 |access-date= 28 December 2023 |last1= Mokoena |first1= Tshepo }}

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || The Telegraph 10 Best Albums of 2023 || 4th

|-

|align="center" | 2023 || False Lankum || MOJO's 50 Best Albums of 2023 || 3rd ||{{cite web |url= https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/stories/the-50-best-albums-of-2023/ |title= The 50 best albums of 2023 |date= 12 September 2023 |access-date= 29 December 2023}}

|-{{end}}

:{{note label|a|NB}} Ian and Darragh Lynch released Where Did We Do Wrong?! in 2003 as Lynched. However, it seems that this incarnation of Lynched is not the same musical project as that of the same name which would go on to become Lankum, as Cold Old Fire, released in 2014 with Cormac Mac Diarmada and Radie Peat, is often described as the group's "debut album".

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.lankumdublin.com Official website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lankum}}

Category:Musical groups from Dublin (city)

Category:Irish folk musical groups

Category:2002 establishments in Ireland

Category:2000s in Irish music

Category:2010s in Irish music

Category:2020s in Irish music